From Lost to Found
by mayejrmorris
Summary: Hermione's sixth year at hogwarts. She had a hard time dividing her time between a father-who's name she is trying to clear, a boyfriend-who is no longer at school, and a best friend obsessed with a task that Draco has been given by the Dark Lord. Sequal to A lonely child
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: ANY RECONIZABLE WORK BELONGS TO J. . ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO J. . IF I WAS HER I WOULD NOT BE WRITING FAN FICTION FOR MY OWN STORIES HERE ON THIS SITE OR ANYOTHER SITE. I JUST LIKE TO PLAY WITH THE CHARACTERS AND TWIST THE PLOT AROUND TO CREATE A SLIGHTLY NEW ONE.**

**PS: THIS DISCLAIMER GOES FOR THE WHOLE FAN FICTION.**

The first week of Hermione's stay with the Diggorys' was a transition period for her and Cedric both. Cedric and skipped working in the ministry all together and found work in a muggle coffee shop near his family home while he researched muggle schools with help from Hermione. Hermione had to get use to living in a magical home that was different from the Weasley's. It was close to the end of the summer and she would be leaving for the Weasley's who lived not far away while Cedric left to experience muggle school.

She had heard from Sirius a few times but he had to keep on moving so the ministry didn't catch him. Hermione also knew that he was back to living most of his time in his animagus form as snuffles (aka: Padfoot). She did spend most of her spare time researching Wizarding Laws on trials and escaped criminals because she wanted to do what she could to help Sirius and because she wanted to help Sirius that she and locked herself inside the Diggory family library on a nice day going over trial information that just seemed to repeat its self over and over again which was starting to get on her nerves.

"The Prophet is here." Cedric said coming into the room.

Cedric hadn't gone to the muggle school yet but the one in town started in a few weeks and he hadn't signed up yet. They had planned on going down to the school today claiming that he was home schooled for most of his life and wanted to try public school for his final year of schooling. Mr. and Mrs. Diggory had planned on going down to the school with them so they could play the dutiful parents for the schools head master.

"Oh really what's it saying today?" Hermione asked.

"Just another article about Harry being the chosen one, I have to say this one is a bit more accurate though." He replied handing the paper over to Hermione.

Hermione grabbed the newspaper from Cedric but set it aside so she could finish reading a particular passage in the newest book on wizarding law that she had found. It was written by a young wizarding law student and was based off of his thesis –at least that's what you would call it in the muggle world. It mentioned several trials from the past twenty years including Sirius but there was nothing on how someone like him could be proven innocent in the eyes of the law but the author Mitchell Cullen seemed to lean toward the fact that Sirius was innocent because he had pointed out several inconsistencies in the trial and arrest documents pertaining to Sirius.

After rereading the passage Hermione pushed the book aside. There was nothing helpful in the book except for the inconsistencies listed by the author.

"Are you all right?" Cedric asked.

"I'm fine. I just can't find any way to help Sirius and I wish I could."

"I know you do you can stay here if you want to while my parents and I go down to the school."

"No I want to go but for now I am going to read about Harry." She replied.

"I'll come get you when it's time." Cedric said before leaving.

She picked up the paper and read the article about harry. The head line was big and bold lettering that was sure to grab your attention.

**_HARRY POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE?_**

**_Rumors continue to fly about the mysterious recent disturbance at the Ministry of Magic, during which He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was sighted once more._**

**_"We're not allowed to talk about it, don't ask me anything" said one agitated Obliviator, who refused to give his name as he left the Ministry last night._**

**_Nevertheless, highly placed sources within the Ministry have confirmed that the disturbance centred on the fabled Hall of Prophecy. Though Ministry spokeswizards have hitherto refused even to confirm the existence of such a place, a growing number of the Wizarding community believe that the Death Eaters now serving sentences in Azkaban for trespass and attempted theft were attempting to steal a prophecy. The nature of that prophecy is unknown, although speculation is rife that it concerns Harry Potter, the only person ever known to have survived the Killing Curse, and who is also known to have been at the Ministry on the night in question. Some are going so far as to call Potter "the Chosen One," believing that the prophecy names him as the only one who will be able to rid us of He-Who-Must-No t-Be-Named._**

**_The current whereabouts of the prophecy, if it exists, are unknown, although {ctd. page2, column 5) ~HP&the halfbloodprince~J. ~_**

Hermione read the rest of the article but it sounded more like a gossip magazine than a trustworthy newspaper article. She folded the paper up and set it aside to read later if she felt like it –which she probably would if she needed a break from looking through the wizarding law books.

"Hermione it's time to go." Cedric said poking his head in the door.

Hermione followed Cedric so they could meet up with his parents. They were dress impeccably in muggle clothes as was she and Cedric but Hermione couldn't see herself wearing robes unless she needed to and since she wasn't in school she didn't wear them during the summer break.

They walked down to the school since it wasn't located very far from their home. The school it's self looked like every other muggle school Hermione had seen. It was a small brick building with two floors. By the sign out front it held both the younger and older kids; younger kids on the bottom level and older kids on the top.

The meeting with the head master went well and Cedric would be attending the school starting the first week of the new school year –which was in a couple of weeks.

A week later Hermione stood in the room provided to her by Mr. and Mrs. Diggory staring at her school trunk. She was once again trying to figure out which books to bring with her and which ones to leave behind. She had cleaned it twice since being with the Diggory's both times were out of boredom.

"Going through your trunk again?" Cedric asked from the door way.

"Yes. I have been through all the law books concerning murder trials and have not found a thing to help me with Sirius." Hermione replied. "I didn't think it would be this hard to help him. I know he's happy to be out of Grimmauld but he's still on the run and can constantly be with me or Harry like I know he wants to be."

"Well you are leaving for the Weasley's in two weeks so you will be able to head to Hogwarts with them. So that might take your mind off things." He replied.

"True but I'll have Fred and Gorges inventions to look out for who knows where they have hidden those things around that house."

"You'd have to keep an eye out for them; I heard they are living over their shop now because they've gotten so much business."

"That wouldn't surprise me. They made a pretty good chunk of change while they were still at Hogwarts and that was behind Umbridge's back." Hermione told Cedric.

"That's true, so what is the problem with your trunk this time?" Cedric asked.

"Oh I'm just trying to figure out what books I should leave behind and which ones I should take with me besides the new ones I will get when my book list gets here."

Hours later Hermione was a sleep with one of her old school books in hand. Cedric had walked quietly over to her and took the book out of her hand. Hermione grunted in her sleep when he removed the book. Hermione had an alarm clock sitting on the bedside table set for twelve am because of a letter hidden underneath it. The hand writing was the untidy scrawl of her father. She hadn't heard from him in a while and was going to speak with him through the two way mirror he had given Harry had in turn given to her.

_Dear Hermione,_

_If you can I'll be glad to talk with you at eleven p.m. tomorrow. I am writing this because things have gotten worse out here now that our old nemesis is back. Using Floo would be too much of a risk at this point. I know Umbridge still watches them hoping I'll pop up somewhere on her radar. That won't happen I do have ol' Moony on my side –not that he would help me terrorize her—he's too much of a good boy to do so even with her prejudice against all half breeds. I suspect that she may be one herself._

_Love, _

_Your father_

Hermione had read the letter several times since she had gotten it the previous morning. The clock read nine and she had two more hours to wait until Sirius would call her name through the mirror. She couldn't wait for it because she hadn't spoken to him much since before she left Hogwarts and hadn't seen him (outside of the mirror) since he was in his Padfoot form on the platform after coming home and it was because of this that she had hoped to be able to talk him into coming to see her before she left on the Hogwarts express and she was pretty sure Harry would agree with her but he hadn't written her back yet but the Dursley's could be preventing that; after all they did do it in between their first and second years but Dobby hadn't helped in that department either.

"_Hermione." _She heard. She knew it was Sirius.

She immediately picked up the mirror from her bed side table.

"Hi." She greeted.

"So how are things?" Sirius asked.

"Fine, I haven't found anything that could help you get a new trial."

It was still awkward for them to talk to one another but they were getting better, getting closer to the father daughter relationship they both craved.

"I never had one." He told her.

"What do you mean you never had one? Isn't that illegal?"

"I was sent straight to Azkaban and I don't know much about law muggle or wizard so I can't answer your second question and I don't want you looking into it if it's going to cause you trouble." He replied.

"I'll be fine dad. I have Harry, all the Weasley's, Remus, the order and Cedric to look after me. If anyone wanted to hurt me right now they would be out of their mind to even try; especially with you as my father and I would suspect you would have Remus as my god father since you don't have Harry's dad around to do so. Not to mention I knew several sixth year spells long before I was even a sixth year."

"I get it you can protect yourself but I can't help but worry. Molly told me that is a small part of being a parent. I never thought that I would have to feeling double time."

"Me and Harry." She said.

"Yes I worry immensely about you both all though Harry doesn't really know that." Sirius replied. "I've got to go it's not safe for me to talk. I'll write you when I can and stay safe Hermione."

Before Hermione could say anything Sirius's face and disagreed from the mirror. It upset her a great deal more than she would care to tell anyone. She set the mirror back on to her bed side table facing the bed so that she could hear Sirus call her name if he came back to it during the night. She doubted that he would reappear but she was always prepared.

She pulled the bun out of her hair and climbed under the covers and went to sleep. It was a fitful sleep –because of how Sirus had stopped their conversation—but it was sleep none the less. She woke up the next morning with a crick in her neck and to the smell of bacon and eggs made by Mrs. Diggory. She dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and went out to eat. Cedric wasn't there and neither was Mr. Diggory.

"Where have Cedric and his father gone?" she asked Mrs. Diggory.

"They went to try that muggle fishing." Mrs. Diggory replied. "And they are sure to come back home soaked to the bone in water or covered in mud. They always do when they go do things like that."

"At least they haven't tried hunting with guns." Hermione replied. "That would not end well and the healers would be well worked if that happens."

"I would rather not think about it." She replied. "I'm going to Flourish and Blotts for a book club meeting would you like to go?"

"No thank you. I've got some summer school work to finish. With the house being quiet I should be able to finish." Hermione lied. "But thanks for the offer I would have gone had I gotten my book list but that's not likely for another week or so."

"That's fine dear. I'll have to let Cedric know to take you as Amos and I would be out of the country."

"Oh I'll be at the Weasley's by then but I'm sure he would be welcomed to tag along after all Fred and George haven't seen him in a while and would probably like to catch up with him."

"I'll see you some other time then." Mrs. Diggory said before leaving the room.

Hermione was glad when the woman left the room. She liked Mrs. Diggory but they never really had gotten along after their initial meeting. They were cordial but she talked with Mrs. Weasley more in the short times she had stayed with the Weasley's than she had ever did with Mrs. Diggory. Hermione would be great full to the woman for letting her stay in her home along with her loving family.

Come Thursday (about a week before she went to the Weasley's) Hermione was at the end of her nerves. Cedric was the only Diggory at home as Mr. and Mrs. Diggory decide to stay out of the country for a short while as a sort of second honeymoon. Cedric could have joined them but he had school in the coming weeks as did Hermione but he also had something planed for Hermione and would not tell her what was planned.

"Come on Cedric tell me where we're going." She pleaded with him for the tenth time in five minutes as they walked down a dirt path in the middle of a wooded area.

"No. Just be glad that I didn't blind fold you." He replied.

"You are mean." She said.

"You will forgive me when you see where I take you." Cedric told her.

"I discovered this place with some of the Weasley's a long time ago."

"So how long ago was that?"

"I was nine so nine years ago." Cedric replied. "I haven't been there much because it's more of a romantic place and it's completely magical area in a muggle town. We have no idea why but also know that it is completely safe and only good magic comes from it."

"Have you taken any one else hear and if you have why are you taking me here now?" Hermione asked.

"I haven't taken anyone else here and as for why I am taking you hear now have a look." He said pointing out in front of him.

Hermione did as he told her to do. In front of her was the most amazing little meadow with a small pond at the middle of it and going into the pond was a small water fall that looked like it belonged in a muggle water park. The floor of the meadow was covered in little blooming wildflowers. There were also fireflies flying around lighting the meadow up like Christmas lights on a tree.

"It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like this. Not even in muggle movies. It makes me think of a fairy tale."

"I'm guessing the muggle fairy tales not the magical ones." Cedric said sitting down on a particularly smooth rock at the edge of the pond.

"I have never read the magical fairy tales." Hermione replied. "So I don't know what they are about."

"Oh there are several. I have a copy of one. I'll show it to you when we get back to the house. The others I don't know the details of just the adlibbed version that my mother told me when I was younger to get me to behave and go to bed."

"My mother had her own version of a story like that too." Hermione said sitting down next to Cedric. "When was the last time you came here with the Weasley's?"

"I came here a few times with them before my fourth year but then Harry came and they all wanted to make sure he was welcomed and Harry didn't want to venture to far from the burrow. I can't say I blame him on that part through."

"I can't either. I love the place there is something warm and cozy about it. Your house is nice too but sometimes it doesn't feel like it's lived in."

"That's all right and the cleanliness would be from my mom. It was the way she grew up. I think if I had a sibling or too she wouldn't be as bad but alas I'm an only child."

"Well I am in that boat with you because I do not see Sirius having another kid but then again Harry is like a brother to me." Hermione told him.

"He is a very good friend to me to I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for him." Cedric said.

"I still can't believe that happened. You and Harry have to be the only two people Voldemort wanted dead but got out of the situation alive. They don't call you the boy-who-lived or any variation of it but you weren't hit with the killing curse."

"That was only because Harry tackled me to the ground." Cedric replied. "He cracked a few of my ribs doing that."

"Cracked ribs are better than what would have happened if he hadn't." Hermione said looking down at her shoes. She grabbed the end of one lace and begun to untie her shoe and took it off when she was done. She repeated the step with the other shoe and then took off both of her socks after which she tried sticking them into the water but the rock was too high and her legs were too short.

"You look peaceful." Cedric said a few minutes later.

"I guess I haven't felt at peace." Hermione replied just as her stomach started grumbling. "And I guess I'm hungry too."

"I have that settled." Cedric said and with a flick of his wand a picnic basket appeared at his side.

Hermione didn't say anything and continued to watch as Cedric set up the picnic lunch he had set up earlier that day when she was busy looking for ways to help Sirius. It was simple since he wasn't much in the way of magical cooking and didn't know all that much muggle cooking. He conjured a blanket and spread it out on the meadow floor and went about setting plates on top of it before he sat down and finally conjured up a few butter beers.

Hermione got up off of the rock they had been sitting on and sat down on the blanket across from Cedric. She smiled at him before taking a sandwich off of the center plate. Cedric had mirrored her after handing over one of the butter bears and setting the rest aside.

"These are good. Your mom didn't make them did she?" Hermione asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Hey I take offence to that. I can make a pretty mean sandwich." Cedric countered. "She did however teach me how to make the desert we will be having so I don't know how bad it will taste."

"I'm not going to be poisoned am I?" Hermione asked.

"I would hope not because I would be in that same boat with you and we would have no way to get back to the house and to St. Mungo's. I do not apparate well when I am sick."

"Why would you apparate when you are sick anyway?" Hermione asked him.

"I was sick and my parents weren't home and I needed my medicine. It was under lock and key so I couldn't summon it."

Hermione looked around the meadow again. The sun was setting now so the fireflies look brighter against the darkening sky. She had almost wished she could bring Sirius here because she knew it would be privet enough for him to be in his human form without threat of being arrested by a magical law enforcement officer or an Auror.

"Are you all right?" Cedric asked.

"Just thinking about my dad." Hermione replied. "He would like it here and he wouldn't have to stay in his Padfoot form."

"He probably would but I would have to stay away from the water if he was." Cedric said.

"Why would you have to do that?" Hermione asked.

"He acts very much like Fred and George and the last time I was here with them they threw me into that pond over there and he is a marauder after all."

"How?"

"Harry told me about the map and everything else." Cedric replied. "Ingenious idea that was. A map that detailed would be nice for the first years but dangerous in other hands."

"Like old Voldemort?" Hermione said.

"Yes. Are you done eating?"

"Yeah. If I eat anymore I'll get sick."

"Then stop eating." Cedric said. "After a while we can go swimming."

"I didn't bring a suit."

"Wear what you have on I can always use the Siccus charm after we finish." Cedric said. "We don't have to if you don't want to and we can't swim that long anyhow, mum and dad have that curfew thing on the house so they know when I'm home and I will not leave you out here alone."

"I wouldn't want to stay out here alone any way. We don't know who could be lurking around in the shadows." Hermione replied. "And after the Battle in the ministry of magic I would like to put off any fighting like that as long as I can."

"Well you don't have to worry. Your dad is going to be in the area soon I assume to see you and Harry off to school and Remus is coming in a few weeks because Molly is making him stay at the burrow."

"I don't think we'll recognize him after Mrs. Weasley gets done with him."

"That would be a good thing with him. He always looks sickly each time I see him."

"That is because it's after the full moon or just before a full moon before he goes into hiding." Hermione told him. "Now come on if you want to get any swimming in we better do it now before it gets to be too late."  
"Okay I'll race you." Cedric replied getting up from the ground.

Hermione followed and got up to. Cedric cleared the remains of their picnic away with a wave of his wand. Hermione looked him in the eye.

"You still want to race?" she asked.

"Sure I do. Now on the count of three we go." Cedric said. "One… two…"

Hermione didn't wait for him to get to three she took off for the pond and jumped inside of it. The water was surprisingly warm against her skin. She figured it was part of the magic of the whole place. She was twirling around with her head back resting on the water when Cedric made his way into the water splashing her.

"Cedric." She screamed. "You could have jumped where I wouldn't have gotten hit by your splash pattern."

"I'm sorry." Cedric said. "I didn't mean to."

"I'm not mad." Hermione told him. "Well a little bit but that was because it was so peaceful and your splash ruined it."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize." Hermione said. "It was an accident and I have had too many people tell me in the past year or so they were sorry. They were sorry my dad died. They were sorry my mom died. Sorry that I almost got killed helping Harry. They shouldn't be sorry that I almost got killed, I was only doing what a good friend would do and nothing at all less."

Cedric didn't say anything to Hermione he just swam over to her and pulled her in close to him and wrapped his arms around her. She wrapped her arms around him. They continued to say nothing and drifted around in the warm water.

"Hermione I would love to stay in the water longer but I have to get home and if we stay any longer we will turn into giant human prunes."

Hermione untangled her arms from around Cedric and swam to the edge of the pond and climbed out. Cedric did the same but waited to see if Hermione got out okay. Also true to his word Cedric dried them both off with the Siccus charm. He also cast a weak warming charm on Hermione to keep her warm until they got home.

The dirt road they walked down was darker than that of the meadow. There was nothing magical about it. Hermione liked it. She liked it more than she ever did the city while the bright lights of the city were pretty and amazing they held nothing compared to the peaceful silence that a long deserted country road could. The only think about the country she didn't like and could not stand was the smell of manure if the wind happened to blow just right.

Halfway down the road Cedric grabbed her hand. Hermione thought about pulling her hand away but decided there was noting that could be seen as wrong by holding someone's hand. She liked his hands it felt weird for her to think that but Cedric had nice hands in her opinion. They weren't to smooth like a woman's or to rough like a muggle farm workers hands not that there was anything wrong with muggle farm workers (they just had rough hands). Cedric's –in the words of goldilocks—were just right.

The Diggory house came up too soon for Hermione's likening. The lights were aglow but only for those of magical heritage. The house was pretty during the night time. Cedric let go of her hand since the gate to the yard had to be open by no magical means as most wizards didn't bother with keys or any form of muggle protection when it came to their homes.

"I still like that your parents incorporated muggle things in to their protection. Most witches and wizards don't." Hermione told Cedric.

"I know that's why they do because the purebloods that sided with you-know-who don't bother to listen to the ideas when they are being discussed. That even applies to food. I think hand made without magic food is better than food that is." Cedric said.

"I feel the same way the food at Hogwarts is good but I found myself several times throughout my time there whishing for grilled cheese sandwich made by my mum."

Cedric hadn't said anything to Hermione. When she looked up at him Hermione realized that Cedric's attention was held elsewhere. She followed his gaze and saw that his attention lay on front steps of the Diggory's home. There was a shadow of something on the porch.

"Get behind me Hermione." Cedric said letting go of her hand.

Cedric took out his wand and had it ready as they walked closer to the shadowy figure and as they got closer to it the taller it got and the more is started to look human.

"State your name and reason for being here." Cedric yelled at them.

"Put your wand down boy I'm not going to hurt you." The rough voice said coming out into the open.

"Sirius." Hermione whispered.

"Yes." The man replied.

"What happen to you?" Hermione asked.

"Just an injury I got as Padfoot when I was hanging around Remus." Sirius said. "He keeps apologizing for it but I don't think he needs to."

"That's Remus though. He would apologize a hundred times if it was his parchment that gave you a paper cut." Hermione told him.

"True but as much as I would like to talk out here I can't so can we get inside?" Sirus asked.

"Sure." Cedric replied.

Cedric went up to the door and unlocked it and stepped aside to let Sirius and Hermione in before him. Sirius sat down on the couch in the sitting room and Hermione sat next to him. Cedric locked the door again before he went to join them.

"So why are you hear Sirius?" he asked. "It's kind of dangerous for you to be out and about isn't it?"

"Yes but I've been given a mission that takes me out of the country. I wanted to say goodbye to Hermione before I left."

"Where are you going and is it dangerous?" Hermione asked.

"I am going to North America right now and no it is not dangerous." Sirius told her. "All I have to do is see if American witches and wizards will give us any help with our fight against Voldemort."

"When do you leave?" Hermione asked.

"I leave in about a week and now, Hermione, I promise to come see you Christmas time."


	2. Chapter 2

Despite the fact that she got one whole week with Sirus Hermione was sad to see him go. She had spent the last few days slightly depressed since she had no idea when she was going to see him again. He had said that he would be back to see her at Christmas several times but she wasn't sure if that would happen or not because there are things out there that could detain him.

After he had gone she retreated to her room and declined to come out for dinner that night much to Cedric's dismay. To entertain herself she unpacked and repacked her school trunk several times. By the third time she had organized everything from her books to potions supplies in alphabetical order. She was about to start going through it again when Cedric had barged into her room and forced her to stop and eat a small sandwich. While she was annoyed with him she was quite hunger and the only time she had gone longer without food was when she was petrified during her second year.

"Do you want me to get you another one?" Cedric asked her when she was finished with it.

"No. I'm fine."

And their days proceed to go just like that until it was time for Hermione to go to the Weasley's. Cedric had made her trunk smaller so they wouldn't look suspicious as they walked to the Weasley's. Their muggle neighbors would think it odd to see two teenagers carrying a trunk down a long dirt road. It didn't take long for the burrow to appear in their line of sight.

Cedric and Hermione walked up to the burrow and through the gate and through the yard past the chickens. Cedric walked up to the door and knocked. It was Ginny that walked up to the door. She didn't open it.

"Who was it warned us of Umbridge at the last DA meeting?" she asked through the door.

"It was Dobby the free house elf." Cedric told her.

Ginny opened the door and stepped back to allow them in. She smiled at Cedric and told him to put Hermione's trunk in her room (it was the door with the Weird Sisters poster on it). Hermione and Ginny watched as he disappeared up the stairs.

"So what is going on between you two?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing is going on." Hermione told her. "I think something might have happened a week ago but Sirius showed up and put the kibosh on that one."

"That's probably a good thing wouldn't want something to happen a little too early." Ginny said.

Hermione scowled at her and how would you know that.

"My mum has been giving the boys the talk when they are old enough because Dad is to chicken to do it. They only thing I've heard her talk about more is how much she seems to dislike Fleur."

"That explains things but why doesn't she like Fleur."

"Fleur is staying here because she and Bill are getting married next summer and I guess there is a lot that goes into a wedding. As for the 'talk' thing yes it does. Mum only gave the talk to them before third year because they could go to Hogsmeade and the charms that protect the school don't protect the town."

"I had no clue about the charms but I had assumed there was something after the steps to the girls' dorms turned into a slide when Harry and Ron tired to get up there. There were some girls that liked sliding down because the book load didn't seem as heavy sliding down."

"It'd be fun until someone forgot to hold their skirt down and the boys got a peek and wouldn't' shut up about it." Ginny said.

"Oh I'm with you on that one." Hermione said. "I would get tired of holding it down all the time."

"Hold down what all the time?" Cedric asked.

"Nothing," Hermione replied at the same time Ginny had said "Girl talk."

"Oh alright, yeah I don't think I need to know about that, Well your trunk is in Ginny's room and back to regular size. I'll come see you this week end if I don't get too much home work form that muggle school." Cedric said.

"That's fine Cedric. I'll have more work than you once I get back to school."

Hermione watched as Cedric walked out the door and when he got to the point just be on the Weasley's gate he turned on his heel and vanish.

"So where is Ron?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"Sleeping or trying to play Quidditch by himself." Ginny told her. "But Mum doesn't let us outside much anymore so I have to say he is sleeping."

"Is Crookshanks here?" Hermione asked.

"He'll be curled up on or underneath my bed, come on and I'll show you."

Ginny did just she led Hermione to her room. It was just as small as the last time Hermione had seen it. Posters lined the walls. Crookshanks tail was poking out from under the bed.

"See I told you he would be under the bed. It's such a shame that Mrs. Diggory is allergic to him." Ginny said handing Crookshanks over to Hermione.

"I'm just glad that someone was able to take him." Hermione said. "I missed him a lot."

"Well he has missed you too. He has done nothing but eat, sleep and go the bathroom without you here taking care of him He hardly ever plays anymore."

"Well he won't have to worry about that too much longer and nothing against the Diggory's but I turn seventeen in a few weeks so I won't have to stay in a ministry approved home once sixth year ends."

"Where would you stay then?" Ginny asked.

"I have enough muggle money from my mum's passing that I can rent a place. Plus that will even give Sirius a place to stay without worry of the ministry as long as he doesn't use any magic that is and if I don't find out away to get him a new trial."

"Why don't you take a break from looking you have been doing that non-stop since we got out of school and now we are starting school which will be harder this year especially for you."

"I— I know I should back off a little bit but I really want Sirus to be able to live his life as a free man." Hermione told her. "I want him to be able to spend his time as he wishes not stuck running from the ministry."

"Hermione Sirius is like an uncle to us even though he's like dad's second cousin once removed or something like that."

"So that means we're cousins." Hermione said. "You're more like a sister."

"Yes and for future reference, Hermione, I see you as a sister too." Ginny said. "It kind of sucks that I don't have one biologically related to me like my brothers but I don't think mum can have more kids."

"Blood should matter." Hermione said. "Look at how much your mum has done for Harry and me and we aren't related at least not how you are referring to it."

There was a knock at Ginny's door and then it opened to reveal Fleur.

"Hermione it is good to see you." Fleur said.

"Look Fleur I'm sorry to push you out like this but Ginny and I were talking and it's kind of privet so could you please leave us alone." Hermione said.

Fleur did leave them alone and looked a bit upset at what Hermione had said but she really didn't feel comfortable talking about Sirius or anything that pertains to him around people she really didn't know all that well.

Mrs. Weasley called them down for dinner a few hours later. Bill had come home and was looking lovingly at Fleur that it made Hermione sick. Fred and George stayed at their shop and Mr. Wesley was too busy to make it home.

"Ginny why isn't your dad here?" Hermione asked.

"He got a promotion so he works late a lot." Ginny replied.

Hermione didn't reply to that but sat down to eat with the Wesley's that remained. Mrs. Weasley made a delicious meal of stew and homemade trifle for desert. Hermione ate several helpings off both until Mrs. Weasley said it was time for bed. She wanted to help clean up but Mrs. Weasley told her to go to bed.

While Hermione did go to Ginny's room she did not go to sleep. She was too wired to go to sleep. So instead of sleeping she wrote Sirius, Harry and Cedric. She did not expect replies tonight as it was late. So while waiting she sat by Ginny's window and looked out at the stars. They were shining brighter than normal. Hermione could spot the constellation that her father was named after and several others that members of her family were named after including Draco Malfoy, someone she still could not believe that she was related to. She often wondered what Draco would do if he found out that they were cousins, second cousins but cousins none the less.

She perked up a bit when she spotted a large shadowy figure at the edge of the Weasley yard (close to the house that is). The shadowy figure walked closer and looked like a rather large dog and because of that it looked rather familiar to her. Grabbing her wand Hermione slipped down the stairs to the kitchen with its lights still on. Thankful the Mrs. Weasley wasn't in the kitchen she slipped out the door and around the house to find the shadow. Only there wasn't a dog like figure for her to find, It was a full grown man.

"Dad what are you doing here?" Hermione asked him.

"The mission has been put off a week or two. Dumbledore doesn't want me to go alone now. So he is waiting until he can find someone to go with me." Sirius replied.

"Good I don't want you to go alone any how." Hermione said. "And you'll be here to see me off to Hogwarts when the time comes."

"Hogwarts is still a few weeks away as of yet." Sirius said "I still might be gone by then."

"That sucks." Hermione said.

"Well don't worry I learned from Dumbledore that he's supposed to bring Harry here to the burrow in a few days. I'll drop back by when he's here before I leave." Sirius said.

"Will you have to leave again after Christmas?" Hermione asked him.

"I don't know right now. We have to wait until Christmas gets closer." Sirius said. "Mr. Weasley should be home soon and you should be in bed right now so I got to go. Let me know when Harry gets here."

"I will."

Hermione said. She then walked up to Sirius and hugged him good bye. Sirius hugged her back and the two walked around the house. Hermione stood on the steps and watched Sirius walk down the path to the apparition point he turned on his heel and disappeared.

Hermione quickly slipped back into the house and up to Ginny's bedroom. Ginny was still asleep. Hermione put herself on the other bed in the room and tried to force herself to go to sleep. It wasn't working; not even the old counting sheep standby worked on her. Hermione had the feeling only a dreamless sleep potion would work on her.

"Hermione are you okay?" Ginny asked from the other side of the room.

"Yes. I just can't sleep. I didn't wake you did I?" Hermione replies.

"Oh you didn't I usually wake up around this time anyhow. Dad gets home around this time and I like to know that he got home safe." Ginny told her.

"I think he's coming in now because I hear muffled voices." Hermione said.

Ginny got up from her bed and walked over to the door and put her ear to it and turned back toward Hermione.

"That's him." Ginny said. "He's always so tired when he gets home now and mum will be sure to make him eat before he even thinks about going to bed."

"That's just your mum. She'll be doing that to Harry when he gets here." Hermione said. "She probably would have done it to me had I not just eaten before I left the Diggory's. Do you know when Harry is supposed to be here?"

"I'm not entirely too sure but I think its sometime next week." Ginny replied.

There was a knock at the door and then Mrs. Weasley's voice following "I want you girls asleep in ten minutes not up and talking."

"Don't worry mum we will be. Hermione just had a nightmare and I was calming her down," Ginny lied.

"OH sorry dear, it is around that time." Mrs. Weasley said as she walked away from Ginny's bedroom door."

"What does she mean around that time?" Ginny asked.

"It's around the time my mum died last year." Hermione told her.

"Oh I'm sorry do you want to go do something for her or—"

"Ginny I'm fine with it and Cedric took me to see her grave last week so no need to worry." Hermione said. "And I dealt with my mum's death last year and I have Sirius to talk to if I really need it, no offence."

"Oh no worry. I totally get that because there are times when I would rather talk to my mum or dad and not one of my friends."

"I'm guessing you go to your dad for the muggle stuff and your mum for the girly things that would make your dad cringe." Hermione said.

"You are right about that." Ginny said. "Including my dislike for Fleur but we should get back to sleep before mum comes back. My lie will only work for so long on her and I don't want her to come in here screaming at us to go to bed."

Ginny and Hermione both went to sleep after that statement all thought Hermione has slept fit fully because of her dream. She knew it was a dream and not a memory because she was younger and had siblings, not to mention Sirius looked much younger and like he hadn't even been in Azkaban.

She had another dream that was much darker than the first and she suspected that the dream is what would have happened if Sirius had been killed during the battle at the ministry. It was a major freak out for her and was surprised that she hadn't woken up screaming causing everyone in the house to wake up because of her screaming but she didn't wake them up she just woke herself up.

Since she couldn't get herself back to sleep Hermione pulled her robe on and walked down stairs to the Weasley sitting room and curled up on the couch. There was already a fire going in the fire place but it was dying down and the flames barley danced among the ashes. It didn't take her long to hear someone else's steps making the steps on the stair case creak.

"What are you doing down here Mione?" Ron asked.

"I had a night mare and couldn't get back to sleep." She told him. "I also didn't want to bug your mother for a dreamless sleep potion either."

"She wouldn't have minded." Ron replied.

"She has enough to worry about with your brother and father out there with Voldemort." Hermione said "And she needs all the rest she can get because she'll worry even more once we are all back at Hogwarts even thought Hogwarts is possibly safer for us. It's the mother in her that worry's my mother would be doing the same if she was alive and knew what was going on in our world."

"You don't have to recite and essay Hermione." Ron replied.

"Save it for the morning Ron. I am tired and you know I like to talk."

"I know." Ron mumbled turning around and walking back up the stairs to his room probably forgetting why he came down in the first place.

Hermione stayed by the fire and continued to watch the flames dance in the ashes as they died down. She drifted off as she watched the final flame burn out into a puff of smoke. It was there on the couch –curled up into a ball—that Mrs. Weasley found her in the morning.

"Hermione dear you should get back up stairs and changed before the boys come down for breakfast. I'll bring it up to you if you don't feel well." Mrs. Weasley said as she shook Hermione awake.

"It won't be necessary. I'll eat with the family. I only fell asleep here last night when I couldn't get back to sleep in Ginny's room." Hermione told her rubbing her eyes and sitting up.

"She did tell me you had nightmare." Mrs. Weasley said. "I can only hope it wasn't too terrifying."

"Oh it wasn't. It just showed something I whole heartedly never wish to happen happening." Hermione replied. "I'll go get changed now and wake Ginny if she isn't up yet."

"That would be very nice of you and if it's not too much of a bother could you wake Ron. I swear that boy wouldn't wake for a hail storm unless he smelled food."

"I'll wake him Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said.

Mrs. Weasley left the sitting room and headed into the kitchen. Hermione pushed herself up from the couch and stretched before trudging up the stairs to change and wake up Ginny and Ron. She ran into Bill on the stairs and he looked away from her while quickly mumbling good morning and passing her. Fleur followed him a few seconds later only her greeting was in her native language French. Hermione slipped into Ginny's room and quickly changed.

She walked over to Ginny who was still sleeping and shook her shoulder.

"Come on Gin wake up. Your mum's got breakfast cooking."

Ginny replied with an incoherent mumble.

"Come on Gin wake up." Hermione groaned.

Ginny replied with more incoherent mumbles. To which Hermione groaned.

"Fine let Ron eat all the food." Hermione said leaving the room.

She walked up the flight of stairs and to Ron's room. It was messy like always but Ron was a boy and she couldn't expect his room to be clean as a brand new apartment. She found Ron on the bed farthest from the door.

"Ron you need to wake up. Your mum has food ready down stairs." Hermione said. "And this is the only time I'll try to wake you up so if you don't get up now the food could be gone before you even get down there to eat it."

Ron grumbled and turned over to face the wall. Hermione just left the room she wasn't in the mood to fight more than one Weasley today. When she got down stairs Ginny, Bill and Fleur had plates of eggs in front of them. Mrs. Weasley ushered her to a seat next to Ginny and sat a plate full of eggs in front of her. Hermione dug into them just as Ron had thundered down the stairs.

"What are we having for breakfast?" he asked behind a yawn.

"Eggs and bacon. I'm saving the sausage for dinner." Mrs. Weasley setting another plate of eggs on the table.

"Has Mr. Weasley gone to work?" Hermione asked.

"Oh yes dear he got called into work early. I'm sure he'll be working late again too. I'll just have Bill take him some lunch. I'm afraid Errol is too week for the trip." Mrs. Weasley said puttering around the kitchen like she was looking for something to do.

"Mum we all have food you should sit down and eat. Just put a warming charm on dad's food and it will be fine." Bill said urging his mom to sit down.

Mrs. Weasley did sit down all though reluctantly so. She sat at the end of the table close to Bill but said nothing as she picked at her own plate of eggs. Hermione quickly ate hers and washed and put away her plate much to Mrs. Weasley's dismay. She quickly diapered up stairs and into Ginny's room. She grabbed one of the last wizarding law books she planned to look through before she returned to Hogwarts. She had also planned to ask Suzan Bones to ask her aunt what she thinks should happen under the guise of writing a book.

The book she had was old dusty and look like it was about ready to fall apart so she treated it with gentle care. It seemed to be filled with several different cases. There was one that wasn't as bad as Sirius case but because the convicted or non-convicted man had been under a citizen's arrest had been given a trial but they weren't wanted for murder and that made Hermione think that a murderer under citizen's arrest wouldn't be given that opportunity especially one of Sirius caliber.

"Hey Hermione what are you doing?" Ginny asked walking into her room.

"Just reading. I think I have finally found something that could help Sirius but I want to find it in the context that would fit his situation and the one I found didn't concern murder but robbery."

"If anyone can help Sirius it's you." Ginny said "You've helped us all. I doubt Harry would be alive today if it wasn't for you. You helped him through all those puzzles during first year. Your are the one who gave him the clue that helped him save me and third year you helped him save Sirius and at the time Sirius was only your best friend's godfather. Forth year you helped him with the task during the tournament even though you weren't supposed to and last year you helped him put the DA together all the while trying to figure out who your dad was."

"I know I just thought that I would have this done sooner and he would stand as human on the platform watching me and Harry go off to Hogwarts."

"Hermione he would be happy even if he was in his Padfoot form." Ginny replied. "He has shown that he would rather be there in that form than no form at all."

"But it's not the same as seeing his human form." Hermione countered.

"Have you told him that?" Ginny asked. "Have you been totally honest with him even the parts that you are mad about."

"No I haven't." Hermione replied. "And I may be considered a genius by muggles but that doesn't mean I am in the wizarding world. I'm still learning about the wizarding world."

"That's the point Hermione he's your dad he should be the one to teach you all these things and if it's the female aspect of it he should arrange it with my mum or one of his cousin to teach you those aspects. Hell it's those kinds of things you should write to him about or talk with him about whether it's face to face or in that mirror you have." Ginny said scowling.

"Don't look at me like that. You look like your mother doing that." Hermione said.

"Of course I do. Who do you think I learned it from?" Ginny said laughing.

"The same way Ron got his muggle obsession thing from your dad." Hermione said. "But I think that only concerns money as of right now."

"Well to be fair it does look a bit funny to us at least the paper money anyway because as wizards we don't have any nor do we see it very often." Ginny said.

Hermione and Ginny went back and forth like that. With Ginny telling Hermione a little bit about the magical world that she had yet to experience. It wasn't much that the two girls had spoken about but it made Hermione feel a little bit better that she knew more about the wizarding world. Their conversation had come to a game called Mash that Hermione would play with her muggle friends.

"Okay so how do you play the game?" Ginny asked.

"So you want to play it?" Hermione asked.

"Yes." Ginny replied.

"Okay first off there are twelve categories." Hermione said marking up a piece of parchment for Ginny to fill out. "Then under each heading you put four options once you have each heading filled out you pick a number and count that number over and over again over all the categories until you just have one option left in each one."

Ginny filled out the sheet that Hermione handed to her even though she thought some of the questions were weird.

"Here I'm done and the number I pick is seven." Ginny said.

Hermione stayed quiet as she figured out what Ginny's Mash sheet would turn out.

"Okay now that I have everything figured out. You have Harry as your spouse you have three kids two girls one boy to be named Lilly, Luna and Sirius respectively. You would live in France were you would also have your honeymoon after getting married here at the burrow. Your mode of transportation would be to apparition and you would go to the muggle college Harvard in America before or after you become a Quidditch player. Your pet would be and own and you would apparently die at sixty five." Hermione told her.

"So a good and decent life then?" Ginny said.

"Yep." Hermione replied.

"Well I'll leave you alone so you can write your detailed letter to Sirius." Ginny said before she left the room.

Hermione took out more parchment and just stared at it. She had no idea what to write down but had a lot of ideas in her head. Even with all the ideas she had she had no idea how to put them down on paper in a logical order because they were all so different from each other that there was no way to do that. Finally after minutes of thinking Hermione began with Sirius's name and a few seconds after that a simple sentence about why she was writing after that the words seemed to flow out of her.

_Dad,_

_I am writing to you because there is a lot that I have to say and a lot I want to ask. Also be aware that I might have said some of this in previous letters but I guess it warrants being said again. I am also writing this letter at the suggestion of one Ginny Weasley who is just as formidable as her dear mother. _

_I guess the first thing I have to say or ask is did you ever try to find me? I am referring to the time before you were arrested for betraying Harry's parents and killing that rat and all those muggles. I mean did you even know about me then or were things too crazy in the magical world for you to even think about looking for me. This I guess brings about another question would you have fought my mother for custody?_

_My second point would be what wizarding customs are there that I should know but do not know? I know about the Yule ball and wizarding money but that's about it everything else is like a big black hole for me. Well not entirely because I know a little bit about the laws but not enough to make me seem like the half-blood I am because I think I should know a little more than the money and what to were to a school ball._

_Well that's all I have to say. I thought I would have more to point out to you but it seems like I would be repeating the points I made above. As of right now I don't think there is anything else that I would like to or want to write about._

_Sincerely Your Daughter,_

_Hermione_

Hermione folded up the letter and sealed it closed with wax and gently carved her initials into it. She had no access to an owl right now. So sending the letter would have to wait. Hermione could wait to send it she just hoped that she wouldn't lose her nerve and burn the letter in the sitting room fireplace before she could send it.

After putting her letter to Sirius up Hermione once again took up a seat by Ginny's window. It was nearly lunch time now and the sky was blue. The color of the sky would leave you to believe that there was nothing wrong in the world and that there wasn't a seriously evil wizard traipsing around the country plotting to kill a sixteen year old boy.

"Hermione," Ginny yelled.

"What Ginny," Hermione asked.

"I've been calling you name for the past five minutes. Mum says it's time for lunch."

"I'll be down in a few." Hermione replied.

She wasn't tired or anything like that she just wanted a few more seconds to herself. After she took time to collect herself Hermione stood up and made her way down stairs. Mrs. Weasley didn't go all out for lunch. There were two platters on the table. One had sandwiches and the other had crisp on them.

Fleur was on the side of the table by the sink and Hermione was on the other side with Ginny. Ginny slid a plate over to Hermione so she could get her own food. The small group ate in science.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Oh he's with Fred and George." Ginny replied. "He doesn't want to be home while Mum does her cleaning before Harry gets here."

"Oh when is that?" Hermione asked.

"The day after next I believe." Ginny said.

The next few hours passed slowly. Fleur had come into Ginny's room an hour ago and tried talking to Hermione and Ginny like they were the best of girl friends and slowly tapered into talking at them like they were toddlers instead of the teenagers they were.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione and Ginny went back up upstairs to Ginny's room, which had been straightened up by Mrs. Weasley while they had been eating lunch. Hermione could hear Mrs. Weasley moving around Fred and George's room; getting it ready for Harry. He would arrive at the burrow in a couple of days.

"She'll clean that room three more times before Dumbledore sends word on when to expect Harry." Ginny told Hermione.

"Sounds like my mum when my grand mum was alive." Hermione replied. "She would start cleaning the house at least three days before my grand mum was to arrive. The earliest she started was a week."

"Did your mum have any sisters?" Ginny asked.

"Not while I was alive. The only sister she had died about three years before I was even born."

"What happen to your grandma?" Ginny asked.

"Died a week after I got my first Hogwarts letter." Hermione said "But we had been expecting it because she would come close to dying and then make a complete turnaround and go through the whole thing again."

"Well she's at peace now then." Ginny said.

"Ginny your Teen Witch Magazine came." Ron said tossing said magazine on to Ginny's bed.

"What about our O.W.L.S results?" Hermione asked.

"There was nothing." Ron replied.

Just as quickly as he had come into the room Ron left. Hermione assumed it was to go back to his room. Hermione turned her attention to a book that she had picked at random the last time she was in Hogsmeade but didn't have the time to read it. It was a wizarding fiction book that looked interesting so she grabbed it and paid for it quickly before she thought against buying it.

The book turned out to be better than Hermione thought it would be. It was about a girl from a muggle royal family that finds out she is a witch and hides the fact from her family and the public that her family is royalty to.

"What are you reading?" Ginny asked.

"A book I bought a while back. It's not that bad, a bit girly but not bad."

"What do you mean girly?" Ginny asked.

"Something that Lavender Brown would read not me." Hermione replied.

"She reads Witch Weekly just for the horror scopes about love. Same thing for the muggle magazine Cosmoses'. I think." Ginny said.

"It's cosmopolitan but Cosmo for short. That magazine was made for women about your mums age maybe a little younger." Hermione told her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, they have stupid articles like ten ways to please your man and things like that."

"I am so glad that I burned the copy she gave me." Ginny said. "I don't want to learn those things from a magazine and besides they probably don't work on half the guys that go to Hogwarts."

"And you would know that because?" Hermione asked.

"I hear the rumors and the older girls never bother to shut up once someone my age walks into the room. I wish they would have because I know way too much for my age and I didn't learn it from a book."

"Trust me it's not much better learning about it from a book either." Hermione replied. "And before you start I did not know that is what the book was about and as soon as my mother found me with it she took it back to the library where I checked it out from and did not let me go back for a month."

"Bet that was the worst month of your life."

"Not really because I had books in my room that I had yet to read." Hermione said.

"Since I haven't read any muggle books what muggle book do you suggest I read?" Ginny asked.

"Well Ginny I would go with the a classic like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and if you like those to I would read the rest of the book or plays by both authors.

"Plays I thought they wrote books?" Ginny said.

"Oh Jane Austen wrote book while Shakespeare was a poet and playwright." Hermione replied.

"What is Pride and Prejudice about?"

"It depends on who you ask but I would say it is about the life of Elizabeth and her sisters and later the loves of the elder two Elizabeth and Jane."

"Oh. That doesn't really answer my question."

"It involves romances between Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth and Wickham and how he later leaves with Elizabeth's younger sister who he later marries and the eventual romance and marriage of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy."

"Oh that does sound like an interesting book to read."

"I'll get my copy out later and let you read it. That is only if I still have it because it's been a while since I read it."

"That's cool I'm going to sneak out to the garden to fly a bit before mum finished with Fred and George's room." Ginny said climbing off her bed. "You want to come?"

"No I'll stay inside. I rather not risk your mother's wrath." Hermione said. "Besides I have a letter to write."

"Well good luck with that." Ginny said slipping out of the room.

Hermione turned her attention to the letter she had written Sirius. While she had told Ginny she would be writing a letter she knew she wouldn't be writing the letter but contemplating on sending it. She could start over and write the letter again but in a nicer tone but that seemed like the cowards way out and she was not a coward of any kind. Her fight in the battle at the ministry should be proof enough of that.

By the time dinner came and went Hermione still had not figured out what she wanted to do about the letter and settled on asking Ginny what she would do if she were in this situation or at least what she thought Hermione should do.

The dinner was like lunch small but good. It was a soup and bread both made by Mrs. Weasley. She had only eaten a small bit of it herself at (surprisingly) Ron's insistence. It was at this gesturer that Hermione thought she saw a smile on Mrs. Weasley's face in days; because of the war that was going on.

"Now I want you all to go to bed. I know you would like to be up to greet Harry but he is likely to arrive early morning when you all should be in bed." Mrs. Weasley said to them after dinner was done.

"But mom—" Ginny started.

"No buts Ginevra. You will wait until the morning after you wake to see Harry. Now off to bed all of you, even you Fleur."

The four that Mrs. Weasley had been talking to grumbled and walked up the stairs. Ron being the farthest away grumbled the loudest and longest until he reached his room.

Hermione climbed into bed without changing into her night cloths and went to bed. She hadn't said a word to Ginny about the letter and what she should do. In reality she was just too tired to say a word about it to the young red head. She did not fall asleep right away. Instead she laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling of Ginny's room.

The room was dark with only the glow of the stars shining outside shining through. It was the one thing Hermione like about being in the country and out of the city; she could see the stars and the glare of the city lights couldn't stop her from seeing them. There weren't many out to night that she could see. Hermione moved down the bed so she could look out Ginny's widow. It did not take long for her to fall asleep after her head hit the pillow.

_The setting had changed rather quickly from Ginny's bedroom to looking at an open field from a porch. It was small from what Hermione could tell but strong. The wind was blowing the leaves that had fallen from the trees across the field._

_Hermione took a tentative step of the porch. Her big toe had barely touched the ground when she was thrust up out of water coughing up water. She swam around in a circle looking for land but found none close enough for her to swim to._

_She was sitting in the water moving her arms just enough to keep herself from drowning. She screamed out when the water started churning like a bathtub about to drain. Hermione was pushed under the water and transferred to a room completely made out of stone. She was sitting on a rickety chair staring into the dark. Hermione jumped when a big white light flickered on and off for a few second before staying on._

_The light was followed by the creepy echoing sounds of a person's footsteps. The person stopped just out of her sight but close enough for her to see their shadowy outline. They shadow turned off the light and long after Hermione felt hands on her and started screaming at the top of her lungs._

_She 'woke' up in the bed of a room she didn't recognize. She sat up and looked around the room and saw that it looked like it belonged to a married couple. She grabbed a picture and saw that it showed her holding the hand of someone she couldn't see. She was wearing a wedding dress in the picture and there was a wedding ring on her hand. _

_She put the picture back down and went to the only door in the room and opened it. The door opened to the same field as the one at the beginning of the whole thing. She stepped on to the field like she did before only this time she felt like she was falling through air and just before she was to hit the ground she _shot up in bed.

"Hermione are you alright?" Ginny asked.

"I'm fine it was just a very weird dream." Hermione said. "Probably from all the stress I have been feeling lately. Just go back to bed. I'll be fine."

Hermione lay down to go to sleep a second time. This time she did not have a weird dream waking her up. She slept all the way through but when she did get awakened by Ginny if felt like she had only gone to sleep seconds before.

"Come on wake up Hermione. Harry is here. I have already been in Fred and George's room and checked. He was sleeping but he should be up any minute now and besides I think Ron is already in there."

"Just give me a second please." Hermione said. "You should like you have already had three pounds of sugar this morning."

"Nope I just suck some coffee before mum got back down stairs."

"That just makes it worse." Hermione said. "Just promise me that you won't drink it when we get back to Hogwarts unless it will be used to annoy Ron."

Hermione quickly changed her clothes into fresh jeans and t-shirt. She walked out of the room with Ginny following behind her and up the stairs a short way to Fred and George's room.

"Ginny I need your help." Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs.

Hermione was about to enter the room when Ron came thundering down the stairs.

"Hermione you're up." Ron said.

"Yeah I was just about to go in and see if Harry was awake." Hermione told him. "I don't think he is though. He most likely didn't get in until we were well asleep."

"Well let's go see him." Ron said.

"I want to do it quietly, because if he is still asleep I do not want to wake him up." Hermione said. "You would want us to wake you up had you been in the situation now would you."

"No I wouldn't but he's my best mate and I haven't seen him since the platform after we got back from school." Ron countered.

"He's my friend too. I have barely heard word from him. If you think Sirius being my dad has brought us closer you are nuts." Hermione replied back.

Seconds later, Hermione went into the room that was now Harry' had rushed in busting the door open making it sound like a cannon going off. Harry and sat upright on the bed at the pulled the curtains back**. **The sunlight was too bright for Harry's eyes Hermione knew because he blocked his eyes with one hand and groped around for his glasses with the other hand.

"Wuzzgoinon?" Harry mumbled incoherently.

"Ron, don't hit him!" Hermione yelled at him.

Harry finally found and put on his glasses. He blinked a few times before looking and Ron and Hermione.

"All right?" Ron asked Harry.

"Never been better," Harry replied before asking "You?"

"Not bad," Ron said sitting on a cardboard box. "When did you get here? Mum's only just told me!"

"Ginny's the one who told me." Hermione said.

"About one o'clock this morning."

"Did the muggles treat you okay?"

"It was the same as always," said Harry. "they didn't talk to me much, but I think it is better that way. I keep control of my anger better that way. How are you Hermione?"

As Harry replied Hermione sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Oh, I'm fine," said Hermione "I spend the first half of my summer with Cedric at his parent's house and now I'm spending the rest of it here at the burrow. I haven't heard from Sirius in a day or to but he told me the last time Dumbledore has a mission for him."

"He mentioned that in the last letter I got." Harry said. "Did I miss Breakfast?" he asked as his stomach started to rumble.

"Don't worry Mum will bring you up a tray in a few." said Ron, "I recon she thinks you are still under fed."

"So, what's been going on?" Hermione asked Harry.

"I wouldn't know I've been stuck at my aunt and uncle's," Harry replied.

"Oh please you have been with Dumbledore" said Ron.

"It wasn't all that exciting. He just wanted me to talk with an old teacher to get him to come out of retirement. The guys name was Horace Slughorn." Harry explained.

"Oh," said Ron, "We thought…"

Hermione flashed a warning look at Ron and stepped slightly on his toes causing Ron to back track.

"… we thought it'd be something like that."

"You did?" said Harry with a slight grin.

"Well Yeah Umbridge is gone so we need a new Defense teacher. So what is he, er, like anyway?"

"He kind of looks like a walrus,he was Head of Slytherin back when he taught before," said Harry.

Hermione has started to stare off into space.

"You okay Hermione?"

"Oh I'm fine. So, um, did Slughorn seem like he'll be a good teacher?"she asked with and unconvincing smile on her face.

"Dunno," Harry said. "But there aren't many that can be worse than Umbridge are there?"

"I know someone who can be a whole lot worse than Umbridge," Ginny said from the doorway.

Herione hadn't even noticed her there.

"Hi, Harry."

"What's with you?" Ron asked.

"It's her," Ginny grumbled. "She's done nothing but drive me mad."

_Fleur_ Hermione thought. It was the only person that could annoy Ginny that much.

_"_Whathas she done now?" Hermione asked.

"She talks to me like I am three years old. Even my brothers didn't talk to me that way when I was three."

"It's probably the first time she's been around people she doesn't have to talk like that too." Hermione said. "Plus even during the Yule ball she seemed kind of full of herself."

"Come on lay off of her for two seconds she's not that bad." Ron snapped.

"Oh please if it wasn't for your silly little crush on her you would think the same thing." Ginny snapped back at Ron.

Hermione could see the confusion on Harry's face and before she could even tell Harry who Ron and Ginny had been talking about the woman in question walked into the room. Harry reacted by pulling on his covers so hard that Ginny fell off the end of the bed.

"Harry, it is nice to see you." Fleur said setting a tray of food down in front of Harry.

Not even two second after Fleur handed him the tray Mrs. Weasley through the door open and scowled at Fleur.

"There was no need to bring up the tray; I was just going to do it."

"There was no trouble," Fleur told her.

Harry sat with the tray a crossed his lap picking at the food.

"I have been wanting to see him. Gabrielle can't wait to see you. She talks nonstop about you, like some little fan girl it's so cute." Fleur said.

"Is she staying here too?" Harry asked.

"No, no, you silly boy, she won't be here till next summer." said Fleur with a tinkling laugh, "I mean— but do you not know?"

"We haven't had the time to tell him. There are bigger things to worry about." Mrs. Weasley said.

Fleur turned back toward Harry in a dramatic manor (that honestly made Hermione a bit sick to her stomach) and said "Oh it's the best news possible, Bill and I are going to be married!"

"Oh," Harry replied blankly.

Hermione looked everywhere but the other people in the room and noticed that Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were doing the same thing.

"Wow. Er… Uh… congratulations I guess." Harry said.

Fleur took the opportunity to swoop down and kiss Harry on the check.

"Bill is very busy at the with his work at Gringotts, I was only there part time to improve my English, he brought me 'ere so I could meet and get to know his family properly. I do have to say I'm sad there isn't much to do besides feed chickens and cook." Fleur seemed to think that was the perfect time for her to leave the room and did so gracefully.

Hermione wasn't sure but assumed the noise Mrs. Weasley was make was because she didn't want to voice what she was thinking. That thought was strengthened by Ginny's next comment.

"Mum hates her," said Ginny whispered.

"I don't hate her!" said Mrs. Weasley snapped. "I just think they've rushed the relationship a head too much!"

"They've known each other a year," said Ron, starring at the closed door.

Hermione was surprised but had to admit that Ron made a valid point.

"A year is not that long. I know why Bill proposed of course with you-know-who being back and everything but it all seems too soon to think about getting married."Mrs. Weasley said. "It happened the same way the last time you-know-who was powerful, people eloping left, right."

"Including you and Dad," said Ginny smiling.

"That is true but your father and I were made for each other and knew each other much longer than a year. What was the point in waiting?" said Mrs. Weasley. "Whereas Bill and Fleur they don't really know each other and haven't got all that much in common? He's a hardworking, down-to-earth sort of person, whereas she's…"

"Kind of a prissy princess," said Ginny Suggested. "But Bill's a thing for a bit of glamour otherwise he'd be working at the ministry with dad instead of at Gringotts as a Curse-Breaker. I would have to say that is why he went for Phlegm."

"Do not call her that, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said in a sharp tone.

Hermione and Harry laughed at Ginny's comment while Mrs. Weasley told him to eat his eggs before they went cold. She left the room and Ron shook his head and finally brought himself out of the funk he was in.

"Aren't you used to her if she's been staying here?" Harry asked.

"I guess you do but she tends to jump out of nowhere when you least expect it," said Ron,

"It's quite pathetic really," said Hermione walking away from Ron and leaning against the wall when she got far enough away and folded her arms as she leaned against the wall.

"Would you want her around forever?" Ginny asked Ron. Ron just shrugged, she said, "Whatever you know mum will stop it if she can."

"How would she do that?" asked Harry.

"She is doing that by asking Tonks to dinner every other night. I think she's hoping Bill will fall for Tonks instead. It would be cool if he did fall for her because she would be cooler to have in the family."

"Tonks goofs off too much for a guy to take notices especially with someone like Fleur is around.," said Ron. "She would be better if she stopped doing funny things to her nose and hair.

"She is still I whole sight nicer than Phlegm," said Ginny.

"Tonks has more intelligences that Fleur and she's an Auror!" said Hermione from the corner.

"Fleur can't be stupid, because she was good enough to get into the Triwizard Tournament," said Harry.

"Not you too?" said Hermione bitterly.

"He probably likes the way Phlegm says Harry." Ginny muttered.

"No," said Harry, "I was just saying, Fleur…"

"Tonks would be better to have in the family," said Ginny. "At least she's a laugh."

"She hasn't been one lately, She looks more like Moaning Myrtle every time we see her." said Ron.

"Well she feels sorry for getting Sirius nearly killed." snapped Hermione.

Hermione's stomach did a flip inside of her. The topic had come around to Sirius. She knew it would happen she just didn't expect it to come out this soon. He was still alive but he was also still on the run from the ministry. She didn't really feel like having this conversation but figured it was better to get it over with than to let it go away.

"Tonks and Sirius didn't have much of a relationship. He was in prison for half his life!" said Ron.

"That's not the point," said Hermione. "She thinks it was her fault that he got hurt even after she got hurt herself!"

"Why does she think that?" asked Harry

"She was the one fighting Bellatrix before Sirius got hurt. If she had continued to fight Bellatrix Sirius would not have gotten hurt." Hermione explained.

"That's Crazy." Ron said.

"It's survivor's guilt," said Hermione. "I suffered it after both my mom and the guy I thought was my dad died but I do know Lupin and Sirius have tried to talk her but she still feels guilty. She's actually having trouble with her Metamorphosing from what Ginny told me!"

"Metamorphosing? " Harry asked.

"She can't change her looks like she used to," Hermione said. "I think her powers must be effected by her emotions or something.

"I didn't know that," said Harry.

"I didn't either but it doesn't surprise me because our powers react to our emotions," said Hermione, "You remember how angry you where when you blew up your aunt?"

The door opened again and Mrs. Weasley walked in. "Ginny I need you to come help me with lunch."

"But I'm talking to H—" said Ginny

"Now!" said Mrs. Weasley shouted.

"She only wants me to go because of Phlegm." said Ginny.

Ginny left the room with her red hair swinging like flames dancing in a fire place.

"You guys better come down soon," she said poking her head back into the door.

Hermione took the lull in conversation as an opportunity to look around Fred and Georges room, it was filled boxes. What was in the boxes Hermione didn't know, she opened one of them and found something that looked like a telescope.

"What's this?" Hermione asked holding it up.

"I don't know but if it's Fred and George's I'd be careful because it could be for the joke shop." Ron said.

"Your mum said the shop is doing well," said Harry. "Said that Fred and George got a flair for business that she didn't know that they had."

"That's a total understatement," said Ron. "They're raking in Galleons! They have almost made more that dad did in the past two years. We haven't seen the shop yet because Mum wants Dad to be there with us when we go to Diagon Alley.

"What about Percy? " Harry asked. "Have you guys heard from him?"

"Not a thing. He's still avoiding Dad at work too," said Ron.

"But he knows your dad was right all along now about Voldemort being back —"

"I've heard Dumbledore telling Ron's Mum that sometimes it is easier to forgive someone for being wrong that it is to forgive them for being right," said Hermione.

"Sounds like something he would say," said Ron.

"He's going to be giving me private lessons this year," said Harry conversationally.

Ron choked on his bit of toast he had stolen from Harry's tray and Hermione let out a gasp of shock.

"How did you keep that quiet!" said Ron.

"I just remembered," said Harry. "And he only just told me last night"

"Blimey… you get private lessons with Dumbledore!" said Ron, "Do you know why he's…?"

Ron's voice trailed off. Hermione exchanged a look with Ron. Harry had stopped eating. To Hermione he looked like he was contemplating something important. He locked his eye onto his fork instead of Hermione or Ron.

"I don't know why he is going to give them to me but I think it has to do with the prophecy."

Hermione couldn't think of anything to say and she guess Ron couldn't either.

"It was the one the Mr. Malfoy and the other death eaters were trying to get."

"It got smashed before anyone could hear it," said Hermione, "So what it said no one knows."

"But the Prophet says… " Ron said.

Hermione interrupted Ron and shushed him.

"The Prophet's has it right for once, that glass ball that got smashed wasn't the only record of it. The prophecy was made to Dumbledore and from what it said," Harry said before taking a deep breath, "it looks like I will be the one to take Voldemort down."

They all three looked at each other each one as silent as the next. Hermione looked back at the small telescope in her hand and squeezed it a little bit. The telescope exploded in a puff of black smoke and punched Hermione in the eye.

Harry and Ron both shouted her name and rushed over to her. Harry had caused his tray to fall to the floor. It took a while but Hermione came out of the smoke coughing and clutching the telescope and supporting a black eye.

"I barely squeezed it and it punched me!" she shouted.

Hermione held up the telescope and showed Ron and Harry the tiny fist poking out from the end of the telescope.

"Don't worry 'Mione Mum will fix you right up," said Ron, "She's really good at healing minor injuries... she has to be with son's like Fred and George."

"Well never mind that," said Hermione hastily. "Harry, we thought it might have been something like that. Lucius Malfoy was talking about the prophecy say that it could break and stopping Bellatrix … Oh, Harry… um… Are you scared?"

"Of course I am but probably not as much as you think I should be," said Harry. "When I first heard it I freaked out but now I guess I always knew I would have to face him at some point."

"Well when we heard that Dumbledore was collecting you himself we thought that it might have been for something with the Prophecy or what happen at the ministry of magic," said Ron. "I don't think he would waste his time if he thought that you couldn't do what you might have to do in a few years or whenever the time comes. At least we were partly right about why he picked you up himself."

"That is true," Hermione told them. "I have to wonder what he will be teaching you, Harry. I mean really it could be anything from really advanced defensive magic, or counter curses and jinxes that we aren't taught in school… "

Hermione continued to rattle on about what Dumbledore could be teaching Harry. She could feel the warmth from the sunlight spreading a crossed her skin as she rambled on to Harry and Ron. She had no idea what to say to Harry about the Prophecy. There really wasn't any way you tell one of your best friends hey I'll be there for you until you have to face a psychopathic serial killer –which in muggle terms is what Voldemort is not to mention narcissistic too. If he was muggle Voldemort would be a cult leader.

"… really he could be teaching you anything," Hermione finally concluded. "You know one lesson you will be taking this year while Ron and I know nothing. We don't even have clue when our OWL results will come in the post."

"It can't be long now, it's been just over a month," said Ron.

**"Hang on," said Harry, he paused for a second. "I think Dumbledore said our OWL results would be arriving today!"**

"Today?! Why didn't you say something?" shrieked Hermione as she jumped up from her seat.

Hermione quickly left the room to see if any owls had come to drop of the results. Harry and Ron had just stared at her.

"Mrs. Weasley have any owls come today?" She asked.

"No they haven't—oh dear what happen to you?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I got hit by something in Fred and Georges room." Hermione admitted.

"I've told those boys a thousand times they need to clean that room out. Sit down dear and I'll see what I can do about that bruise."

Five minutes later Mrs. Weasley was still working at the bruise, nothing that she did lessen the impact of the bruise. She had tried everything in her book The Healer's Help Mate.

"I'm sorry dear it just won't budge," Mrs. Weasley said "It always worked before I don't know why it won't now."

"That was probably the idea Fred and George had when they made it. You know a bruise that wouldn't come off except for something they made to take it off," said Ginny.

"It has to come off, I can't go back to Hogwarts like this!" squeaked Hermione.

"You won't have to dear, I know we'll find an antidote, don't worry," said Mrs. Weasley soothingly.

"Bill told me Fred and George are very amusing!" said Fleur, smiling serenely.

"I don't think a bruise that makes me look like a battered girl is amusing Fleur." snapped Hermione getting up from her seat and walking away from Fleur.

"Are you sure no owls have come this morning even when you were asleep?"

"Oh Yes, dear, I'd have noticed," said Mrs. Weasley. "I wake up with Arthur but it's only just turned nine so wait awhile they should be here soon if they are being sent out."

Hermione started to pace back and forth mumbling about how she messed up all her test on one question or another and could have done better on each question. She had been in the middle of her Defense against the dark arts when Ron told her to shut up about the baby.

"Don't, don't, don't!" Hermione shouted at him. "I just know I've failed everything!"

"What happens if we fail?" Harry asked the room.

Hermione just noticed he was there but in voice only.

"We discuss our options with McGonagall and she will figure out which classes we take during our finally years at Hogwarts." Hermione answered.

Hermione did not listen to what Fleur had to say for one reason and that was for the three simultaneous dots floating toward the burrow. She creamed in excitement.

"They're definitely owls," said Ron.

_Like she didn't know that, _Hermione thought sarcastically.

"And there are three of them," said Harry walking up to her other side.

"That means there is one for each of us," said Hermione.

She had grabbed Ron and Harry's elbows and continued to grip them tightly as the three owls drew closer to the burrow. All the owls were of tawny origin. As the owls got closer to the burrow three large envelopes could be seen tied to one of each of their legs.

Mrs. Weasley gently pushed herself past the three of them and opened the window to allow the owls in. They landed one by one in front of their recipient and held out their right legs to be relieved of their packages.

Hermione moved forward to untie the letter addressed to her. She was so nervous about what the letters said that her hands were shaking so much that she was scaring her owl. After several tries she finally got the envelope off the owl. All three of them were quite as they opened and read their results.

Hermione ripped hers open. The print was neat and Hermione's eyes scanned over what the grades meant and down to what her results were.

**Ordinary Wizarding Level Results**

**Pass Grades:Outstanding (O) Exceeds Expectations (E) Acceptable (A) **

**Fail Grades:Poor (P) Dreadful (D) Troll (T)**

Hermione Jean Granger has achieved:

Astronomy: O Care of Magical Creatures: O Charms: O Defense Against the Dark Arts: E

Ancient Ruins: O Herbology: O History of Magic: O Potions: O Transfiguration: O Arithmancy: O

Hermione read the parchment several times. It was all right, the only class she didn't get and 'outstanding' in was Defense Against the Dark Arts. If it wasn't for Harry she would have achieved an 'exceeds expectations' in it. She ran her finger down each of the grades.

She looked up for a second and saw that Harry was still looking at his and that Ron seemed to be delighted with the grades that he got. She quickly turned her attention back to her results and turned her back to Harry and Ron she knew that she should send them to Sirius.

Hermione could hear Ron and Harry talking about their grades. She could also Hear Mrs. Weasley congratulate Ron that he got more than Fred and George. She still kept her attention on her results and the grades she got. She also could not help but wonder what her mum would think about her grades.

"Hermione," Ginny called, "How well did you do?"

"I uh—I — not bad," said Hermione mumbled turning around.

"Oh, come off it," said Ron, snatching her results out of her hand. He mumbled as he counted her results. "You have nine 'Outstandings' and one 'Exceeds Expectations'; you can't be disappointed can you."

Hermione shook her head, as Harry started to laugh at her reaction. She couldn't blame them she was always a bit worried about her grades.

"Well have to tell Sirius." Hermione mumbled to Harry who just nodded in response.

"We're N.E.W.T. students now!" Ron cheered before asking his mum for more sausages.

Hermione looked down at her results. They were better than she could have hoped for even if she was a little disappointed that she didn't achieve an 'O' in Defense against the Dark Arts. In her mine she had already figured that she would fail but she was wrong she had done well. She might have done even better than most of her year at Hogwarts except maybe a Ravenclaw student.

She took her results and headed up stairs. She wanted to let Sirius and Cedric know how she faired with her OWLS. She quickly copied the results on two different pieces of parchment and writing short notes, one to Sirius and one to Cedric and sending them.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione spent the remainder of her free time in the Weasley's garden over the next few weeks. She spent it playing Quidditch (which she was horrible at) with Harry, Ron and Ginny even though she would rather be inside reading a book. She would also rather write letters to Sirius, Cedric and other various friends who were not at the burrow. She like Harry had spent each meal eating more that she really wanted of what Mrs. Weasley put in front of her.

The whole summer holiday would have been better had it not been for the bad events being reported in the Prophet almost daily. Mr. Weasley and his son Bill would bring the news home before it reached the papers. Even Harry's birthday had brought grizzly news by Remus when he stopped by. He looked more ragged than before he hadn't even heard from Sirius in a few days but he had been with people like him.

"Oh just a few more Dememtor attacks," Remus told them as Mrs. Weasley gave him a small piece of Harry's birthday cake. "I've heard rumors that they have found Karkaroff's body up north somewhere. A dark mark was seen above the area. It surprises me that he survived longer that Sirius brother did and that was only a few days at the most."

"Yes, well, perhaps you could talk about something less-"

"Find anything out about ol' Fortescue, Remus?" Bill had asked inturpting his mum.

"No but it looks like he was dragged off by the look of his store."

"Why?" Ron had asked, while Mrs. Weasley glared openly at Bill for bringing the subject up.

"Who knows? It doesn't take much to upset a Death Eater now does it?" Bill replied. Florean was a good man. Didn't deserve what happen to him. "

"Diagon Alley is looking more and more deserted." Mr. Weasley said. "Even Ollivander's is gone."

"The wandmaker?" said Ginny, "Why would anyone want to hurt him?"

"Well know one knows for sure. His shop is empty with no sign of a struggle." Mr. Weasley said. "No one knows if he had been kidnapped or left on his own."

"What will the first years or anyone that needs a wand get them?" Harry asked.

"They'll have to settle for other wandmakers." said Lupin. "But Ollivander was the best, and it doesn't bode well if the other side has him. I hope he's gone into hiding."

August First is the day that their book list came in the post. Hermione noticed that Harry was staring at his blankly. He had been made Quidditch captain.

"You are equal to the Prefects now." Hermione exclaimed. "You can use the Prefect bathroom too."

"Wow, I haven't see one of theses this close since Charlie was captain." said Ron, examining the badge. "Harry, this is so cool, you'll be my captain if you let me back on the team that is."

"Well, we can't put of the trip to Diagon Alley much longer now that your book list have arrived." Mrs. Weasley said. "We'll go Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work."

"Mum, you can't think you-know-who would be hiding in behind a bookshelf or caldron do you? " sniggered Ron.

"You want to go on a holiday like Fortescue and Ollivander?" said Mrs. Weasley, "If you think it's funny you can just stay home and I'll get you school things myself."

"No, I want to see Fred and Georges shop!" said Ron.

"Then quite joking around about our safety before I decide not to let you come." said Mrs. Weasley angrily, grabbing her special clock and the laundry and stopping out of the room. "That statement goes for returning to Hogwarts as well."

Ron had turned and looked at harry. He mumbled something about not being able to Joke anymore. Hermione huff silently and followed Mrs. Weasley out of the room.

Over the next few days Ron had kept his comments about Voldemort to himself and sometimes Harry if Mrs. Weasley wasn't in ear shot of him. He was most careful Friday and Saturday because they were so close to going to see Fred and Georges shop but things were still tense when they sat down to eat breakfast.

Hermione had learned Bill would be staying home with Fleur (thankfully) while the rest of the family went to Diagon Alley. Bill had come home earlier and passed a bag of money to Harry and Hermione each.

"Where's mine?" Ron asked (though it sounded more like a demand).

"The money is already theirs" Bill replied. "I got it out of your vaults for you because it's taking much longer to get people to their gold now that the goblins have tightened security. They are using Probity Probes now, just trust me it's so much better this way."

"Thanks, Bill," Hermione and Harry, pocketing the gold bags Bill had given them.

"Oh he is always thinking of others." Fleur said cooing over Bill apparent stroke of kindness.

Hermione ducked under the table to hide her laughter as Ginny acted like she was going to get sick in her cereal. Harry choked on his cereal trying to keep himself from laughing. Ron had slapped Harry on the back to he would not continue to choke. It was this way that Mrs. Weasley found them ten minutes later to tell them it was time to leave for Diagon Alley and ushered them out the door and into Ministry provided cars.

Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron all sat in the back of the car while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat in the front with the driver. Hermione looked out the back and spotted Bill and Fleur waving from the Burrow's kitchen window.

"Well don't get used to it, it's because of Harry that we got the car." said Mr. Weasley. "We'll be meeting up with more security at the Leaky Cauldron."

Harry didn't say anything but stare out the window. Hermione knew that he hated being surrounded by people and those people being a group of Aurors would only make it worse. Hermione also knew that Harry had his invisibility cloak on him. She wasn't sure why he had it but couldn't blame him for wanting to have it close at hand if the need to use it ever came about.

A few minutes later the car stopped. The drive was rather quick and had surprised Hermione. Harry, Ron and Ginny seemed to be used to it like they ridded in a car like it before. Hermione got out of the car along with the rest of them.

The drive had stopped Mr. Weasley and asked him something. Mr. Weasley mumbled something back and rejoined the group. Hermione looked toward Harry who was looking through a window of the Leaky Cauldron. A look of joy swept on to his face and Hermione wondered what Harry's face of joy meant.

"Harry!" she heard Hagrid's voice boom before she even saw him (she wasn't looking in the window).

Hagrid had swept Harry up into a bear hug. Once Harry was back on the ground Hagrid went on and on about Buckbeak and how he loved to be back outside and in the open air and how Dumbledore stopped the ministry from sending a whole bunch of Aurors. Hagrid pulled the door open and allowed everyone to pass in front of him.

The Leaky Cauldron to Hermione's complete surprise was empty. The only person in the place was Tom the old toothless bar keep and landlord. Hagrid was the only one to speak to him as she, the Weasley's and Harry headed for the Diagon Alley entry at the back of the Leaky Cauldron in a small courtyard.

Tom gave them a nod and continued to wipe drinking glasses that did not look like they were getting any cleaner. The courtyard was dusty and cold and Hermione wanted to get out of there. Mr. Weasley raised his wand and tapped the familiar pattern on the bricks and the entrance to Diagon Alley opened on to the start of the winding cobbled stoned street.

There was no doubt about it Diagon Alley had colorful shop displays were hidden by large ministry posters covering the windows hiding the displays from view. The posters were just larger blown-up versions of the pamphlets the ministry sent home over the summer and wanted posters that the Prophet had printed last year after the mass breakout from Azkaban.

There were a few shops that had closed down and bordered up their windows Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor was one of them. There were a few other shops that Hermione remembered going into when times were happier. While some shops had closed down, several shoddy looking stalls had propped up.

There was on that erected close to Flourish and Blotts, with a stained and ripped awning above it. Pinned to the awning was an equally stained and ripped sign that read **_AMULETS_**. Hermione didn't bother reading the sign or listening to the man peddling the amulets as he tried to get Mrs. Weasley to by one. Mr. Weasley replied by saying something about if he were on duty he would do something. Mrs. Weasley replied by saying that she didn't want him to arrest anyone and that they were in a hurry before she went on about how Ron and Harry needed new school robes because they had grown so much.

"Do you still want new dress robes?" Mrs. Weasley asked her.

"I go with Ron and Harry and get them." Hermione replied. "I only need to replace part of the ro—."

"We don't all need to go to Malkin's Molly, Hagrid can go with them to get what they need there and we can go get their books at Flourish and Blotts." Mr. Weasley said cutting Hermione off.

"I don't know," Mrs. Weasley replied anxiously, looking between the three in question and Flourish and Blotts up the street. Clearly she wanted them all to stay together.

Mrs. Weasley finally turned her attention to Hagrid and asked if he was okay with taking the three teen's to get new robes. Hagrid was and Mrs. Weasley allowed the separation of the two groups with strict instructions of where they were to meet up after they were done.

It didn't take Hermione long to realize that Mrs. Weasley wasn't the only one with a look of worry etched on her face. Nobody stopped to chat anymore. They came to get what they needed and left just as quickly as they had come. It was how muggles acted when severe weather threatened to knock out conveniences for a few days and every one rushed to the store to buy water until things were up and running again.

"You three go in and I'll stay outside," Hagrid said.

Madam Malkin's looked empty when they entered the shop. There were racks of robes hiding anyone else from view of them. It was from behind a rack of these clothes that Hermione, Harry and Ron heard the familiar voice of one Draco Malfoy.

He was griping to his mother about how she wouldn't let him do anything on his own. It did not surprise Hermione that even one of Voldemort's supporters was scared about her son being out on his own. It could be hell out there for anyone, even if they are a Death Eaters child and after what happen at the ministry with his father Draco could very well be in danger.

A pin prick to his arm had Malfoy yanking his arm back from the sounds of things. He had walked up to a mirror to see how the robes looked on him. They were a dark green with pins dotting the hems. It didn't take him long to spot Harry standing with Hermione and Ron. His eyes narrowed when he spotted them in the reflection of the mirror.

"Don't worry about the smell mother a Mudblood has walked in," said Draco Malfoy.

"There is no need for language like that and I won't have it in my shop!" said Madam Malkin, "And put your wands away!"

"Like you would even attempt to do magic out of school." Malfoy sneered. "Nice black eye though. I'd like to send flowers to whoever you gave it to."

Hermione was about to say something but Madam Malkin spoke before she could say a single word.

"Come on that is enough!" Madam Malkin shouted as she continued to look over her shoulder for some kind of support from anyone but a bunch of teenagers. "Please Madam.

It didn't take much for Hermione to realized that it was Draco's mother NarcissaMalfoythat Madam Malkin was asking for help. Mrs. Malfoy did not look the least bit happy to see wand pointing at her son.

"Put your wands away now," she told Ron and Harry."If you try to hurt my son again then I will make sure you never do another thing again."

"Really?" asked Harry, looking Mrs. Malfoy directly in the eyes. He was almost taller than her now. "Have a spare Death Eater around to do your bidding? Too chicken to do it yourself?"

Madam Malkin squealed and rushed around trying to get the ones with wands raised to lower them. Harry did not move his wand. Mrs. Malfoy just smiled quite unpleasantly at Harry and the two standing behind him.

Mrs. Malfoy turned her attention to Harry and again said "Reaming Dumbledore's favorite won't give you a long life. He won't always be there to save you."

Hermione just wanted to get what she came for and leave but Harry seemed to be in the mood for an argument and continued to egg Mrs. Malfoy and Draco on. It was Draco's nearly tripping over his robes that had Ron laughing and bring her out of her thinking.

"I won't watch you talk to my mother like that again, Potter!" Malfoy shouted at Harry.

"It's all okay, Draco," said Narcissa said grabbing Malfoy's shoulder. "Potter will join his mother and father before I see Lucius again."

Hermione started to freak a little bit when Harry raised his wand a tad bit higher.

"Harry, no don't!" moaned Hermione a second later. "Think, Padfoot wouldn't want you to get into trouble."

Madam Malkin waited for a moment then turned her attention back to Malfoy and his unfinished robes. Mainly his sleeves and the bottom of paid her no attention and continued to glare at Harry openly.

"The hem of the left sleeve should come up just a little bit higher, dear, I'll just…"

"OW!" Malfoy screeched at the woman.

Malfoy then promptly told his mother he didn't want the robes anymore and ripped them off. He tossed them to the floor and headed for the door with his mother following behind him.

"I believe you are right Draco." Narcissa replied. "The people they allow in here these days appalls me. Twifitt and Tatting's will be better for us."

The pair of Malfoys' walked out of the shop with Draco slamming as hard as he could in to Ron on his way out of the shop. Madam Malkin huffed and picked up the robes that Malfoy had discarded off the floor. She took her wand and cast a spell to clean the robes before putting them on a rack with other unfinished robes. Hermione guess that she was slightly ticked at Draco's treatment of the robes when the woman tried to sell her wizards dress robes instead of witches dress robes. Hermione paid for her robes and left the shop with boys.

"Are you three done here?" Hagrid asked when the trio appeared outside.

Hermione kept to herself while Harry continued to talk with Hagrid. Hagrid welcomed the time to talk with Harry and didn't mind that Hermione had nothing to say to him.

It did not take Hermione and the boys for find Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. Each person had a bulging package of books with Mr. Weasley holding the heaviest package of the lot.

"Now that you three got the robes or whatever you needed from Madam Malkin's we can go get food for pets and restock potion stores."

Only Hermione, Ginny and Mrs. Wesley went in to the Apothecary to get the things they needed to restock their stores. They all bought treats and food when they got to Eelops Owl Emporium. They then trudged up the street with Mrs. Weasley checking her watch while looking for Fred and Georges joke shop **_Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_**a shop they had started while still in school. They had bought the premises and did major product research with money given to them by Harry after he won the Triwizard Tournament back in fourth year in which Cedric nearly died.

"Whoa," said Ron leaving his mouth gaping open.

Hermione stood next to him doing the same thing, because on Fred and Georges window was a large brightly colored poster. A few people would look back over their shoulders for a second look but no one would actually stop and look at it. The window next to the one with the poster had equally colorful displays of products in the window, some Hermione recognized and others Hermione did not recognize. Harry and Ron's eyes both looked water just looking at the windows.

Hermione heard Mrs. Weasley wimper when she read the poster on the window. Hermione wasn't sure but thought that she heard Mrs. Weasley moan something about Fred and George being murdred in their beds. Hermione could see that Ron and Harry were shaking with laughter.

"They'll be murdered…" Mrs. Weasley said. "In their beds…"

Mrs. Weasley's voice trailed off as she mouthed the words of the poster.

"They won't be murdered in their beds mum." said Ron through his laughter.

Harry and Ron led the group into the shop. It was quite hard to move around in the shop as it was packed with customers. No one in the group could even get near the shelves to look at an item. Some of the items were nearly gone. Like the Nosebleed Nougat only had one box left on the shelf and it was quite battered from being moved.

There were big bins filled with everything from trick wands to special quills that spell checked what you wrote and ones that inked themselves. Hermione picked a few of the self inking quills for herself. She did not really trust the spell-checking ones since the spells used on them would run out and she didn't have the time to worry about that.

Hermione spotted kids about first year age watching a reusable hangman. Laughing as the figure walked up the stairs to the gallows that waited for him. Hermione turned from the hangman figured to a display near the counter. She had to push herself through the large group of girls there to see what it was.

There were brightly and highly colored boxes sitting on the shelves. There was a picture of what looked like it was supposed to be 'handsome' but didn't with a girl swooning in front of him both were standing on a wooden ship.

Hermione read the instructions on the box. It was simple to use. She also learned that they were called Patented Daydream Charms. She was amaced by the magic that had to go into it.

"That is really is extraordinary magic, you know," Hermione told Harry.

"And for that comment alone you can have one for free."said Fred from behind them.

Behind them stood a grinning Fred, wearing magenta robes with the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes logo on the left side of them.

"Hey Harry, you good?"he asked shaking their hands."Whoa what happen to your eye, Hermione?"

"It was one of your punching telescopes," She told him.

"Oh…sorry we forgot about those, glad to see they work though." said Fred. "Here you can use this—"

Fred had pulled out a tub from his pocket. She opened it and inside was a thick paste yellow in color.

"All you have to do is dap it on the bruise and it should fade within an hour," said Fred. "We had to find a decent remover after wegot some nasty bruise testing some of our products."

"Is this safe to use?" Hermione asked looking nervous.

"Course it is," said Fred dragging Harry off for a tour of the store.

Hermione dabbed her eye with the paste and set it down on the counter.

"These are interesting aren't they?" Ginny asked appearing at Hermione's elbow.

"Yes they are. I had no idea your brothers were able to create all of these." Hermione said. "You would think that they would've scored more OWLS."

"I know. Mum still doesn't really like the idea of them running a joke shop but they haven't asked her or dad for money, so she's dealing with it." Ginny replied.

"She's doing it better than my mum would have." Hermione said. "She would have wanted me to quit and go back to school even if I was making loads of money."

"Are you going to buy one?" Ginny asked.

"Fred gave me one for free because I said the magic used to make them was extraordinary." Hermione told her.

"Well they are too bad I can't buy one." Ginny said.

"Why?"

"Not for anyone under sixteen." Ginny replied.

"I'll give you mine when we leave." Hermione told her.

"You don't have too. I can daydream all on my own. I'd probably like them better than what these charms can do."

"Well if they offered a specific daydream that would be better but there is nothing like that here." Hermione said. "All the boxes have that picture of the couple on a ship like a cheese romance novel or something like that."

"I can't see Fred or George creating something like that if I could buy it." Ginny said. "That's probably why the put the age limits on these."

"At least you have siblings." Hermione replied in a sadden tone.

"It's not always fun." Ginny said. "And the only good thing about being the only girl is that I don't have to get second hand things when it comes to my clothes but I choose to because I know money would be tight for mum and dad."

Hermione did not reply to what Ginny said and went to look around the rest of the shop. There were things that she had seen at Hogwarts and others that she hadn't seen at Hogwarts. They obviously had created a whole lot more than she or any other Hogwarts student's had known about. They must have been concentrating solely on their products to have gotten only a few OWLs, but it was clear to Hermione but the amount of magic that went into their work that they knew and understood what they were taught while at school.

"I still can't believe that they created all of this." Ginny said looking at all of the daydreaming charms. "They even have muggle magic tricks for people like dad, and I'm pretty sure dad will buy one or two when the twins are distracted."

"Why would he do that?" Hermione asked.

"Because they are likely to turn down any payment from mum or dad because of how tight money is for them, even thought there is only two of us in Hogwarts now."

"That probably makes your mum a little sad with the war going on right now and Charlie being in Romania and Percy still not talking to you guys."

"Yeah I wish I could help her but nothing short of a cheering charm or calming draught would work on her." Ginny told me.

"Have you seen our WonderWitch products?" Fred asked after him, George and Harry had walked out of the back room.

Fred had turned Hermione and Ginny toward a violently pink set up. There were several different sized boxes all violently pink (and truthfully kind of made Hermione want to puke). They were also love potions which Hermione didn't really care for. She believed that if you couldn't get a man to love you the way you were then he wasn't meant for you. It was something her mother told her when she wrote home about the fight she had with Ron at the Yule ball and when she went home to see her mother that summer (before she died) her mother had said that again and had a faraway look in her eye. Hermione often wondered what that meant; Hermione now believed that her mother had been thinking of Sirius.

Hermione came out of her little day dream thinking about her mum and Sirius to hearing Fred and George questioning Ginny about who she was dating (Dean Thomas at the moment) and who she had dated. They had apparently been misinformed about how many boys she had dated; which was three if you counted the date she went on with Neville to the Yule ball.

She knew by Ginny's faded voice that she had moved on to looking at something else or was no longer talking to Fred and George.

Hermione heard Ron shout at Fred and George. She had turned to look at why Ron had shouted that and saw that he had his arms full of boxes. Each one had been a different product made by Fred and George, Hermione thought that it was safe to assume they wanted him to pay for them all and the family discount wasn't what he thought that it would be. He dropped several boxes in his haste to make an obscene gesture at Fred and George only to be caught by Mrs. Weasley as he finished do it.

Mrs. Weasley had not taken kindly to that gesture and that Ron had used and told Ron if he ever did use it again she would jinx his fingers together. Ron put said hand behind his back as Mrs. Weasley turned to speak with Ginny who was asking if she could get something. Mrs. Weasley moved to get a better look at the small creature.

Through a small (and short) break in the crowed; Hermione had a small view of the street through the Weasley's shop window. Draco Malfoy could be seen among the patrons scurrying down the street. His mother was nowhere in sight. Once he was beyond the shop's window Hermione could no longer see him.

"Wonder how he got away from his mummy?" Harry said from beside her.

"Snuck away by the look of it," said Ron.

"Why do you say that?"Hermione asked.

Neither Harry nor Ron replied her. Harry looked like he was thinking about something. Hermione knew one thing even though she was a death eater's wife Narcissa Malfoy was not the type of woman to let her child wander off alone in a time of war. Considering they were the enemy and an attack on them could happen at any time.

A few seconds later Harry looked around the room quickly and then turns to her and Ron and starts pulling his invisibility cloak out of his bag. Harry threw the cloak over his shoulder and quickly yelled at Ron and Hermione to get under the cloak.

"Harry I don't think we should—"

"Come on off of it," said Ron. "You know you want to go and you know you won't let us go without you."

"Fine," Hermione huffed as she pulled the cloak over herself taking one last glance at Mrs. Weasley's back.

Slowly the trio maneuvered themselves out of the store and down the street. Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. Harry guided them in the direction that Malfoy had gone, whispering directions so low that Hagrid couldn't hear him.

"There." Hermione said pointing at a blonde figure turning left into another alley. "He went left right?"

The trio had come up to a dark and grimy alley way with just as dark and grimy shops lining it. The sign at the beginning of it declared that the Alley was called Knockturn.

"Our feet are going to be seen." Hermione exclaimed quietly as the cloak flapped around their ankles and legs.

"Just hurry up." Harry Snapped.

Turning down Knockturn Alley Hermione saw that it was nearly if not completely deserted but the shops they passed didn't seem to have anyone in them but the shop keepers. She figured with Voldemort being back that his supporters wouldn't be as likely to come down here for their Dark Art needs.

Hermione happened to look when they had come to the same level as Borgin and Burkes, the only shop anyone in the trio had visited in Knockturn Alley and that was by complete accident. Hermione took her hand and pinched Harry in his side.

"Ow." Harry yelped.

"Look, I think that's him." Hermione said pointing to the shop. "I can't tell because of the grimy windows."

The trio scooted as close as they could to Borgin and Burkes windows. So they could get a better look through the grimy windows.

"That's him." Harry said barely peaking over the windows.

Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement. They all could see that Malfoy was animatedly talking to Mr. Borgin the owner of the shop. Mr. Borgin was oily-haired (worse than Snape if possible) and short hunched over man with a small amount of fear etched on his face.

"I wish we could hear what they are saying." Hermione said.

"We can." Ron exclaimed as he started moving the boxes he had left in his arms around looking for a particular one. "Here they are."

"Oooh… good thinking Ron," Said Hermione.

Ron had already begun unwinding the Extendable Ears. The long fleshy, peach colored things kind of creepd Hermione out but they were oh so useful.

"Listen!" said Harry after he put his ear as close as he could to the end of the string.

"Just tell me if you know how to fix it or not."

"That's possible," Borgin replied sounding unsure in his tone. "I'll have to see it in person to be sure." He added clearly lying.

"I have told you I can't. It has to stay put." Malfoy said grimacing. "I need you to explain to me how I should fix it."

Hermione noticed the change in Mr. Borgin's tone of voice and a slight changed in the look on his face but she couldn't place it.

"It will be difficult to fix without seeing it, maybe even impossible. Nothing could or would be guaranteed." Borgin said.

"Will this make you tell me faster?" Malfoy sneered at the man.

Malfoy was blocked from their view by a large cabinet after he moved closer to Mr. Borgin. The trio shuffled themselves a little to the left to continue watching Malfoy but all they saw was Mr. Borgin looking quite scared.

"…and if you tell anyone about this you will pay." Malfoy told Borgin, "Fenrir Greyback is a family friend and I'll be having him drop by every day or so to make sure you are doing what I asked, you got it?"

"There is no need to ge—"

"I'll be the one to decide that," Malfoy said. "Well I have to go and remember to keep that safe or you won't like what happens."

"Then maybe you should take it now."

"I can't take that thing with me, how stupid would I look carrying it down the street." Malfoy Snapped "Just be sure not to sell it."

"No of course not sir." Mr. Borgin replied.

"And don't tell anyone including my mother!"

Borgin murmured something to low for the ear to catch and started bowing at Malfoy again. A few seconds later the tinkling of the bell above the door told them that Malfoy was leaving. He looked happy about what had just occurred. Harry's cloak fluttered around their ankles as Malfoy passed them looking slightly worried about something.

"What was that?" Ron whispered as he hurried to reel in the Extendable Ears.

"I have no clue but he wanted something fixed." Harry said. "And he also wants to keep something on hand in there, I'm not sure what he wanted when he said 'that one'?"

"He was behind that cabinet so we couldn't se—"

"You guys stay here," Said Hermione as she ducked underneath the cloak.

She quickly checked her reflection in one of the cleaner windows before she hurried up the small set of steps and into the shop. She had walked through the dusty aisle up to the counter where Mr. Borgin was standing.

"Hello, been a nasty morning hasn't it," Hermione said.

Brogan had not answered her but looked on suspiciously. Hermione nodded and continued to look threw the objects on display.

"Is the necklace for sale?" Hermione asked pointing to a spot in the case.

"For one and a half thousand Galleons," Mr. Borgin Replied.

"Oh, I haven't got that much on me," Hermione said. "And this um... nice skull how much would it be?"

"That'll be sixteen Galleons." Borgin replied keeping his suspicious eyes on Hermione.

"It's for sale then?" Hermione asked. "It's not being kept for anyone?"

Mr. Borgin fixed his glare on her again. Hermione took that opportunity to ask about Malfoy and see if Mr. Borgin would tell her anything about what he wanted.

"Um… T… That boy who just left he's a friend of mine and I wanted to get him something but I don't want to get him something that he already paid for."

Hermione was nervous and hoped her nerves weren't showing but knew that they were likely showing because the story she had spun was kind of (if not) totally lame.

"You need to get out." Borgin shouted.

Hermione did not bother to wait around and ask another question. Borgin had followed closely behind and slammed the door once Hermione was across the threshold. He had even flipped the open sign to say closed.

"It was a worth a try." Ron said as Hermione slipped back under the cloak.

"Well you can show me how to do it next time Malfoy wants to buy something dark." Hermione snapped.

Hermione had continued to argue with Ron all the way back to Fred and George's shop making her wish that she was with Cedric rather than Ron and Harry. Mrs. Weasley looked anxious and Hagrid look worried and clearly had noticed that they were gone.

Once back inside the shop, Harry led Hermione and Ron to the back room where he slipped the Invisibility Cloak off and back into his bag. All three of them had insisted to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that they had been in the back room all along where Harry was telling them about some of the things Fred and George had told him about when he first arrived.

After a few more hours in Fred and George's shop Mrs. Weasley rounded them up and they headed back to the Leaky Caldron. They muttered goodbyes to Tom the bar keep and headed out to the muggle side and into the ministry cars waiting to take them all back to the Burrow.

Once the Weasley, Harry and Herself got back to the Burrow Hermione took her bags up to Ginny's room and put them away in the appropriate places in her trunk. It didn't take long for her to do it but she spent quite a bit of the time reading her school books and getting to know what she would be learning about in the coming year.

Ginny had thrown her bags on to her bed stating that she would put them away later and that she was going to play Quidditch with Ron and Harry. With only three people Hermione wasn't sure how that was going to work for them but told Ginny to have fun playing anyway and that she would be out later to watch them after she had write a quick letters to Sirius and Cedric.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione spent the last week of her holiday reading and re-reading all of her school books and writing to Sirius. She had written him about what she, Harry and Ron and witnessed (though she had left out they had gone into Knockturn Alley) Draco doing. She however did not talk with Harry and Ron about what Draco had been doing in Knockturn Alley although Harry seemed to constantly want to talk about it. Harry seemed to be the only one to really want to talk about it after the first couple of days.

"Harry for the last time I get it you think Malfoy was doing something dodgy." Hermione said after Harry brought the subject for the third time in two hours. "But like I have said before there could be several reasons for his behavior."

"You never know, his Hand of Glory could have broken." Ron said messing with the twigs in his broom's tail. They were bent and needed to be straightened out before they got back to school.

"But he told Borgin to keep one safe." Harry said. "There has to be a pair of something that one of them needs to be fixed. That has to mean something, right?"

"I guess."Ron said scraping dried mud off of his broom handle. "That would explain why he wants one kept safe while the other one is fixed."

"Malfoy's dad is in Azkaban for the foreseeable future and probably doesn't like that his dad is locked up, I'd like to know what he's up to." Harry said.

"There isn't much Malfoy could do in the way of revenge."

"That is my point; he's up to something and I want to know. His dad was a Death Eater…" harry trailed off.

"Harry; are you alright?" Hermione asked. "You seem…"

"It's not your scar is it?" Ron asked.

"Not it's not but Malfoy, he's replaced his dad." Harry said. "He's replaced his dad as a Death Eater."

"Harry he's only sixteen You-know-Who wouldn't let him join." Ron said before promptly erupting in a fit of laughter. "I agree that Malfoy is prime material for being a death eater but he is a bit young for that."

"I have to agree with Ron on that one. His age makes it seem unlikely for him to be a death eater."

"Oh come on in **Madam Malkin's **she hadn't even touched his arm and he screamed." Harry said.

"You don't even know if that was his left arm." Hermione said.

"It was." Harry countered.

"Um… Harry…." said Ron.

"He was probably uncomfortable and wanted to get out of there," Said Hermione.

"He had showed Borgin something we couldn't see." Harry snapped at them. "Something that Borgin was clearly scared off. It had to be the Dark Mark I know it, Borgin wouldn't have taken him seriously otherwise."

Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances before turning their attention back to Harry.

"Harry I don't think…"

"I don't think You-know-Who would be dumb enough to let someone like Malfoy join up."

Harry had left in a huff taking dirty Quidditch robes with him for Mrs. Weasley to clean. Hermione followed him out of the room a few minutes later and went to Ginny's room to repack her things once again and to make sure she didn't have any clothes that she needed Mrs. Weasley to clean up.

Ginny was already in her room going through her things. Hermione could tell by the red of Ginny's cheeks that she had run into Harry on the stairs. Hermione said nothing. She had told Ginny a while ago that she should try dating other people and see if a relationship with Harry would come about on its own or naturally as her own mother had called it because a relationship that comes about naturally is much stronger than one that does not.

"Girl's make sure you have everything ready before the morning. I don't want to be late to Kings Cross in the morning." Mrs. Weasley said.

"We are always late to the train. Not one single year has my family ever made it to Kings Cross with time to spare." Ginny said after Mrs. Weasley disappeared out into the hallway.

"True, but there are only four of us this year." Hermione said. "But the restrictions put on Harry are sure to make it harder on us."

"No I'll think it'll be Ron that holds us up if anything. It's usually one of the boys anyway." Ginny said.

Hermione cleaned up the rest of her things and packed them away. She closed and locked her trunk and had it ready to be moved into the ministry cars the next morning.

The next morning in fact was much smoother than it had gone in previous years. The Ministry cars had pulled up and drivers loaded up the trunks. All pets that were going to travel were in their specific cages (or basket in Crookshanks case) and ready to go with their owners lined up waiting to get into the cars.

Hermione had to hold in a laugh as Ron and run forward for some reason and Ginny had stuck out her foot and tripping him. Ron was red faced and angry when he stood up and dusted himself off.

Hermione was a little disappointed when they got to King's Cross that Hagrid was not there waiting for them but in his place were too very grim looking Aurors, who marched the group into the station without a word.

When they got to the platform Mrs. Weasley ushered them through one by one. Harry went first then Hermione went she was accompanied by a nasty looking Auror that frightened her quite a bit but she had seen worse and shook the feeling off and walked through the barrier. Ron had quickly followed her along with his dad and Mrs. Weasley came through with Ginny who nearly tripped upon entering the barrier. Mrs. Weasley was quick to catch Ginny by the elbow before she went about getting each of them on to the train after saying good bye.

Harry quickly climbed onto the train followed by Ron and Hermione. Hermione noticed that he hadn't even looked at the Auror's that had accompanied. He made a movement that told Hermione he wanted them to follow him.

"We can't," Hermione told Harry. "We have to go to the prefects' carriage to learn what our patrol days and patterns are this year then patrol the corridor's a little bit."

"Uh… yeah I guess I forgot about that." Harry replied.

"Come on now you three you only have a few more minutes left." Mrs. Weasley said ushering them back to the train.

Hermione wasn't sure but pretty much assumed that Harry and snuck off to talk with Mr. Weasley because she could not see either one at the moment. Hermione climbed on to the train and headed for the prefect compartment. The other prefects were there. The new head boy and girl were there also. Hermione was glad to see that the head girl was Alicia Spinnet and head boy was Ryan Westrup, he was from Hufflepuff.

They had both had all of the prefects sit down in seats labeled with their names. There were eight new prefects stuffed into a corner of the compartment not talking to anyone. Hermione couldn't blame them she was the same way last year worried about what she would have to do or what was expected of her.

"Now that all of you are here we can start." Alicia said.

Alicia then went on from there to explain who would be patrolling and what days they would be patrolling on. Alicia had done this without the help of the head boy. Ryan seemed out of it and not really interested in the whole thing.

"…and that is all I have now. If there is anything else you need take it up with me, Ryan or your head of house at a later date."

Hermione grabbed her bag and headed out into the corridor. Ron quickly followed her and grabbed to start her.

"I want to talk for a moment." Ron said.

"We can talk when we find Harry." Hermione replied.

"I don't want to talk to you with Harry in the room. I want to talk to you alone." Ron said. "The first Hogesmeade weekend, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."

"I'm sorry Ron but I'm with Cedric now." Hermione replied. "I am really sorry."

"What's he got that I don't?" Ron asked.

"Um… I'm not really sure but I guess it was because he was there for me when no one else really was." Hermione told Ron. "I through we would just stay friends but when I stayed with him this summer it changed."

"Why couldn't it have been me?" Ron asked.

"Honestly I don't know. The timing was never right and Ron I'm not the type of girl that wants things to happen in the heat of the moment. I like to see things coming and while I didn't see what happened with Cedric coming like it did I saw it better than I did anything with you." Hermione said as she walked further down the train car.

Ron didn't say another word to her at that moment. They just continued walking down the train cars looking for Harry. The weather was starting to clear up again when Hermione and Ron finally found Harry. He was in a compartment with Neville and Luna.

"Wish the trolley would come. I'm hungry." Ron said stuffing himself into a seat by Harry while rubbing his stomach."Neville, Luna Hi," Ron added before turning his attention over to Harry completely.

Hermione ignored him as she knew what Harry and Ron were going to talk about. Malfoy had not done a bit of his prefect duty. Which Hermione had to admit was odd compared to what he was like last year at this time by bulling the first years.

Hermione took one of her books out and started reading. It wasn't that she didn't like Luna or Neville it was that she didn't know what to say to either one of them. They were friends but not close friends like she was with Ron, Ginny or Harry.

"—that's not like Malfoy though, he's not out bulling the first years either." Ron said.

"Don't know," said Harry.

"He probably misses the authority he had when he was on the Inquisitorial squad." Hermione said flipping through her book. "I'd say the Prefect position lacks the fun the Inquisitorial Squad had."

"I don't think it's that, I think he's a—"

The voice of a third year girl cut Harry off.

"I was told to give these to N… Ne… Neville Longbottom and Harry P… Potter," the girl said. She was holding two small scrolls of parchment they were both tied with a bright purple ribbon. Harry and Neville took the scrolls and the girl ran from the compartment blushing red the whole way.

"What is that?" Ron asked Harry.

"Some kind of invitation," Harry replied.

Hermione leaned over to see Neville's invitation.

_Neville_

**_I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C._**

**_Sincerely,Professor H. E. F. Slughorn_**

"What would he want with me?" Neville asked. His nerves were showing through.

"No idea," Harry told him looking just as confused. Harry mumbled something else before grabbing his cloak and leaving the compartment with Neville.

Ron sat back and sulked in his seat now that Harry was gone. He wasn't likely to talk to Luna or Hermione and Ginny wasn't with them so that left him by his self with no one to talk to. The lunch trolley came about ten minutes after Harry left. Hermione got a few things and went back to her book. Most of the cart was sweet treats that she rather not have as lunch but she couldn't go hours without eating or else she would get sick. There was anything wrong with her, her stomach just got upset when she didn't eat.

After she ate what she had gotten off the trolley Hermione went to walk the train's corridors, she ran into a few people she knew from the DA and just normal school things. She was just leaving the bathroom when she bumped into Cho Chang.

"Hey Hermione," Cho said.

"Cho," Hermione greeted. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Umm… Could you tell Harry that I don't blame him for things getting awkward?"

"I can try but you should be the one to tell him not me." Hermione told her. "And you can't avoid him forever."

There was an awkward silence followed by Cho's quick departure. Hermione walked the corridor one more time before going back to the compartment with Ron and Luna. Ron and Luna were in an argument about one of the Chudley Canon's players being some kind of creature that doesn't really exist. Hermione once again grabbed her book and started to read.

She continued to read for a few more hours before closing her book and going to change into her school robes. She was not the only one who had taken the moment to clean up and change into their school uniforms.

Hermione did her best to ignore the idle chatter about things that seem pointless and then the one topic that she was not surprised to hear come up in conversation; her best friend Harry. Most of the girls were younger and were talking about love potion's they could possible slip him, which Hermione thought was stupid because Harry was very observant when it came to people messing with his food.

It wasn't until the love potion girls were gone that Hermione took the moment to go back to the compartment. Luna and Ron were in their uniforms; all though Ron's looked a little disheveled. He probably threw his uniforms into his trunk instead of placing them in the trunk nicely like his mother had told him to. Hermione just rolled her eyes at the thought as sat back down.

"I wonder where Ginny is." Ron stated.

"Why she has her own friends." Hermione replied.

"Yes I know that but she usually stops by to say hey but she hasn't yet." Ron replied.

"She probably got caught up talking with some of her friends." Hermione said. "You'll see her when we get to the school or before we get off the train."

Ginny had stopped by the compartment a few minutes later with her boyfriend Dean in toe. Dean stood outside (avoiding Ron's Glare) while Ginny talked for a while with Luna and Hermione.

"So you were invited to lunch with a teacher because you hexed someone." Luna said pausing for Ginny's nod of yes. "Must have been Nargles or something that kept him from giving you detention."

"Yeah it must have been." Ginny mumbled. "Well I have to go change into my uniform."

"I'm going to find Finnegan and get my winnings from him."

"Winnings from what?" Ginny asked.

"The last England Quidditch match." Dean replied disappearing down the corridor.

It didn't take long for Ginny to disappear down the corridor also. She had yet to change into her uniform and only had an hour or so left to do so. She came back a few minutes later but left not long after to find Dean because Ron had mumbled something that made her mad. Hermione knew that by the red tint on Ginny's face that Ron was lucky that she didn't hex him.

The Hogwarts Express finally came to a stop allowing all the students off. She could hear the silent chatter of the first years as they waited to make the short trip across the lake. Hagrid wasn't there to lead them like he did Hermione. Hermione grabbed her trunk and found a carriage to ride in with Ron, Luna, Ginny and Dean. Neither of which knew where Harry was.

"He'll be fine Hermione." Ron had told her. "He's probably stalking Malfoy and followed him."

Hermione knew that Ron was probably right but she wasn't about to tell him that. The carriage ride seemed longer that it did previous years. Ron was complaining about being hungry and with the feast was just moment's away Hermione just whished he would shut up and quit complaining. He was just about to get on her last nerve.

Thankfully the carriage came to a stop in front of Hogwarts before she snapped and used Ginny's favorite hex on him. Thankfully Ron had shut up just before they entered the school. Hermione was glad to be back.

She liked being in the old world feel of Hogwarts. You had to write a let or homework assignment by hand instead of typing it out on a computer or type writer like the muggle world. Hermione wasn't sure that's what the other muggle born kids thought. They probably missed their music players and CD's and other technology that was not useful in the magical world.

Hermione took a seat halfway down the Gryffindor table, she sat next to Ron. She looked around at everyone and had yet to spot Harry once. She was starting to worry that he had gotten himself into something bad and she and Ron wouldn't be there to help him out of it but he had gotten himself out of worse fix's but with Voldemort being back and out in the public now who knew what he would do.

Hermione had turned to Ron to say something about her worry over harry but was unable to as Professor McGonagall stepped up to announce the arrival of the first years. The first years were let into the great hall and stood in front of the rickety looking stool the Sorting Hat sat on. There was a pause in the noise before the Sorting Hat ripped open and started to sing.

The sorting Hat's song was dark and depressing and told the student's to heed warning about going out alone several things like that. Hermione planed on analyzing it later before she wrote a letter to Sirius and Cedric before falling asleep for the night.

Hermione's attention was soon drawn to that of the first year students being sorted. There were not as many first year this year as there had been in her previous years. Hermione knew that it was the parent's keeping the student's home with them where they kept them safe. It was also why a few other years were a few low of their original numbers.

There were twelve new Gryffindor girls while there had been twenty in the past. There were even less Gryffindor boys than there were girls with only seven new boys. Hermione had memorized their names just not their faces.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and then looked at Ron who was pointing at something.

"What?" she asked him.

"Look at Malfoy." Ron said.

Hermione followed Ron's arm to where he was pointing and spotted Draco Malfoy in the middle of a spirited motion. She had no idea what he meant by it but she had come to the conclusion that it involved a nose.

"He must thing something is funny otherwise he wouldn't keep doing it over and over again." Neville said. "He was doing that before the sorting too."

"I think he's trying to get attention before Harry decides to show up." Said Ron. "I know Snape thinks Harry likes attention he doesn't it's Malfoy that does."

"There's a term for that in the muggle world but I won't use it because it wrong to speak the term." Hermione said.

"Does it start with a 'W'?" Ron asked.

"Yes. Why?" Hermione replied.

"Because I've heard Fred and George use that word, I don't know why they were using it but mum nearly cut their tongues out for using it." Ron told her. "We were out in London before I came to Hogwarts she yelled at them in the middle of the street for using that term."

"That sounds like your mum." Hermione said.

She suddenly felt sad and missed her mum quite a bit. It had been a long while since she felt sad or missed her mum like that. She had Sirius so that made the loss of her mum hurt a little less but he was out of the country now or will be Hermione wasn't sure. Sirius had kept his location in his last letter a secret.

Hermione turned her attention away from Draco and his attics toward the table and the grain in it. Ron had not noticed the change in her mood but then again no one really realizes when her mood changes. Well Ginny might have noticed but she was too busy talking with Dean about something.

Hermione had whished that she could eat something but there was absolutely no food for her to eat.

**_Sirius Blacks Point of View_**

Sirius Black was hiding in a filthy alleyway that made him thing of Azkaban. No he was not locked up inside the prison again; he was in New York City in America. He had been trailing two Death Eaters (all the way from England mind you) and lost them in the ciaos at an airport but had caught sight of another death eater and followed him to a seedy looking muggle strip club that even he wouldn't go into on a dare and he never turned down a dare and was no waiting for him to come out.

He had thought about going inside the club but seeing what had come out of it had diminished his want to go inside and nearly made him sick. Two hours waiting outside of the club the death eater walked out with a muggle woman on his arm (she actually looked halfway normal if not halfway asleep). He followed the duo to an old seedy looking muggle hotel. The motel made the hog's head look like a five star hotel in the middle of the Caribbean.

Sirius waited until he saw the woman leave and hurried up the steps to the man's second floor room. He forced himself into the man's room with his wand at the ready. The man also had his wand pointed at Sirius ready to fire if needed.

"What's your business here in America?" Sirius asked.

"Why are you following me?" the man asked at the same time.

"You are a death eater what more reason do I need." Sirius replied. "Accio wand, you have no way to fight back now, so please answer my question now!"

"I am no more a death eater than you are right now but it's figurative." The man said. "I have been in America since nineteen eighty after I appeared in a muggle hospital in the middle of Briton the year before looking exhausted and soaking wet like I had just drowned in a lake or something."

"How do you know you are a death eater?" Sirius asked. "Even if it's figurative."

"I have no memories of the time before I woke up at that hospital and only I know I'm a _death eater_ because that is what someone called me a month before I came to America."

"Then how did you get here? How did you get those robes? How do you know you are a wizard?"

"Man calm down I can only answer one question at a time."

"Then tell me how you got here to America," Sirius said.

"Simple, I took a plane."

"Your robes?"

"Are what I was wearing when I appeared at the hospital. I have more clothes now but they are all dirty right now."

"Okay then how do you know you are a wizard?"

"I was in Vegas about years ago. I walked by this old hotel. It looked like it was close to falling down." the man said. "But as I got closer to the hotel it started to change. I stood there looking at it for the longest time until an old woman said that I needed to move so she can get inside."

"That still doesn't answer who told you that you were a wizard." Sirius replied.

"An old man sitting at the bar, after I asked what the place was. Helped me get my wand and set up an account at the bank."

"And now what is your name?" Sirius asked.

The name should have been one of Sirius's first questions but it had slipped his mind until now.

"There is a name people call me but I don't know if it's my real name or not." The man said.

"Fine what do people call you?"

"They call me Regulus and they have done that since I was in the hospital. They gave me a book of baby names and pick the most familiar one. It came down to Regulus and one other name. The doctor chose to call me Regulus."

Sirius's heart started to pound in his years. Regulus was his brother's name. His brother hadn't been seen or heard from since seventy-nine. His mother had even put that as his year of death on the family tapestry. He took a deep breath before asking his final question.

"What was the other name?"

"Huh?"

"The other name that stood out to you!" Sirius shouted.

"Geese calm down man. It was Sirius. The second name to stand out to me was Sirius."

"Get up you are coming with me." Sirius said.

He kept his wand on the man and walked over and pulled him off the bed. Regulus had fought to get away from Sirius.

"Man please don't hurt me."

"I am not going to hurt you."

"Then what are you doing?" Regulus asked as he continued to fight.

"Getting proof."

"Of what?"

"That you are my brother."

"Brother?"

"My brother supposedly died back in seventy nine I was in jail at the time so I didn't know but I do know that his body was never found."

"And you think I might be your brother." Regulus said.

"Yes. We are going back to England now. You don't have anything to take care of before we get to England do you?" Sirius asked.

"No I just have to get some money out of the bank. We have the same coins as you guys I just can't make a withdraw while oversees something about identity theft or something."

"Fine I'll take you but get yourself out of those robes first I'm not taking you back to England when anyone associated with death eaters has a price on their heads."

"I can do that now can you take your wand off me." Regulus said. "You can keep mine if you'd like."

"I'd planned on keeping it. Now go change your clothes." Sirius said leaning down picking up some clothes and tossing them at Regulus.

Regulus walked into the bathroom with a bunch of clothes Sirius had tossed at him. They were dirty but looked clean. He had worn them for three days before changing into the death eater robes as Sirius had called them. He grabbed the rest of his clothes and stuffed them into the only bag he had.

"You done now? I have been standing around for five minutes now watching you pick up clothes." Sirius complained.

"Yes I'm done."

"Now how do we get to your bank?" Sirius asked.

"City hall, the alley way just beside it ends with a brick wall that wall conceals the entrance to the street of shops and the bank. Dragon Alley it's called." Regulus said. "It's was named after a guy who was obsessed with Dragons and his last name spelled different but was pronounced dragon."

"We better get going now if we don't want to miss my five o'clock portkey to England." Sirius said.

"What are you going to do if I am really your brother?"

"I have no idea." Sirius said. "I've been told my brother was dead. While you look like him I can't be sure you are him and if you are him then you have to go into hiding because the man the death eaters follow will want you dead."

"Wh—why would he want me dead?" Regulus asked.

"Because you are not following him; and you seem to have a taste for muggle women." Sirius said. "Not that I can blame you there."

"He'd kill me just because of that?"

"He's killed for a lot less too, so yeah he would." Sirius said.

Regulus looked like he wanted to run away from Sirius and go hide under a rock where he would never be found. Sirius sensing what Regulus was thinking and dragged him further out or the room; and taken them to New York City's City hall. The alley way had a few people (muggle and wizard alike) standing around smoking. The two men walked down to the end of the alley way. There were slight nods from their fellow wizards and curious glances from the muggles.

Sirius taped his wand on the bricks like Regulus instructed him to. The pattern was similar to that of the one used at the leaky caldron. They stepped through the opening unnoticed by the muggles. Sirius was pleased to find that the street was fairly similar to that of Diagon Alley, all though the shops and street looked slightly newer than that of Diagon alley.

The bank was located in a large white building. Sirius looked around before dragging Regulus inside. He slipped Regulus his wand because it was needed to get into his vault.

"Just hurry up with your vault. We have a portkey to catch." Sirius said. "And I don't have the time to get another one if we miss it."

"You don't have to worry I already have a set amount that I take out each time tied up in a bag." Regulus replied.

A few minutes later a goblin appeared at their side to lead Regulus to his vault. There were elevators instead of the rollercoaster like cart used in England. It was much easier on Sirius's stomach so he liked it much better than the carts. Regulus's vault wasn't that deep into the ground and was fairly small but it was apparently enough for his money.

"Got it," Regulus said coming out of the vault a few minutes later.

Sirius let him keep his wand for the moment but kept a close eye on the stranger he knew he should be weary of. Getting out of the bank and Dragon Alley was much quicker than getting into them. Sirius waited until they were a block away to take Regulus's wand back.

They then took a cab to Central Park. The ride was short but they had enough walking to do inside the park getting to the spot Sirius would get his portkey taking him and Regulus back to England back to a home Sirius did not want to be in but he had no other choice.

"We have to find a hat by a water fountain that is _under _repair." Sirius told Regulus.

"Isn't there anyone guarding it?"

"Yes." Sirius replied. "There is also a coded phrase that I will be using to acknowledge that I am the one the portkey is intended for."

"Oh yeah, what is that?" Regulus asked.

"You don't need to know." Sirius said. "Just look for the hat."

Regulus didn't reply to Sirius. He just continued to follow Sirius while they walked on the paved path. It didn't take them much longer to find the hat. It was an old white (though brown with dirt) cowboy hat sitting next to an old man with a beard down to his knees. Sirius walked up to him and gave him the required saying.

Sirius finally turned around to face him and motioned for him to move forward. Sirius watched as Regulus walked up to him. Regulus looked scared almost. At the very least Regulus was nervous about something.

"We have about three minutes until the portkey departs." Sirius said. "Once we get back to England, I'll take you to my house but you will not say a word to anyone until I speak with them got it?"

"Yes." Regulus replied.

When the hat glowed blue Sirius held it out to Regulus.

"You need to touch it."

"I know how they work." Regulus snapped. "I have taken them before."

He quickly grabbed the hat and seconds later they disappeared in a glow of blue light and were slammed to the ground after a few seconds. Sirius got up and dusted himself off and went to grab the portkey before he got rid of it. Regulus was also dusting himself off nearby.

"Come on." Sirius said taking him by the elbow. "We have to hurry but keep quiet when we get in."

Sirius then dragged Regulus across the street. It was fairly calm this time of day. Sirius led him through the rot iron gate. Sirius led him into his Child hood home. Once inside Sirius led him down to the kitchen where he could keep an eye on him while he contacted some of those in the order. The only ones he was able to contact were Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. The last one he really didn't want to talk to the man but his situation was a different one.

Dumbledore arrived ten minutes later because he still had the first day of Hogwarts.

"I'd like to wait for Severus. He's bringing the necessary potions and it would make everything go much quicker." Dumbledore said dusting the ashes off of his robes. "We do have the first day of Hogwarts to get through."

Sirius nodded in acknowledgment. Just as Severus Snape flying (figuratively mind you) into the fireplace. He sneered at Sirius.

"What do you need Black?" Snape asked.

"Take a look." Sirius said pointing to the man who said his name was Regulus. "Does he look familiar at all?"

"Yes but I still have no clue why you called me?" Snape snapped.

"He looks strikingly like an older version of my brother. Even has the same name." Sirius replied. "He says he has no memory before nineteen seventy-nine."

"Severus did you bring the potions I asked you to bring." Dumbledore asked.

"Of course I did." Severus replied pulling three small bottles out of his cloak pockets.

He set them in one single line on the table in front of Regulus.

"What do you want me to do with them?" Regulus asked gesturing to them.

"The clear one is the truth serum." Snape said. "The green one is supposed to restore your memories but only if no lasting damage has been done to your brain; but it will take a while and the last one is a reactive potion it keeps the first two potions from interfering with each other."

"Why would I need to take that?" Regulus asked.

"You need to take it because if you didn't take it you could have a rather bad reaction to first two potions." Snape told him.

"Oh." Regulus said. "In what order do I take them?"

"You take the memory potion first then take the truth potion. Both of which would be followed by the third and final potion."

Regulus pulled each of the potions closer to him. He took the stopper out of each and swallowed them one by one in the order like Snape had told him to do and in quick secession (they all tasted bitter). The pain in Regulus head got so intense that he grabbed at it trying to get the pain to stop. The pain got worse and worse before it finally started to lessen a bit to a dull ache.

Sirius walked over to stand in front of him. Regulus looked up at him and said; "Sirius what are you doing here? Mom's going to kill you for leaving."


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione could not move from her seat. She felt dizzy and had no real idea where the dizziness came from. She hadn't felt like that before. She would talk to Madame Pomfrey if it got any worse. She looked up and down the Gryffindor table several times for Harry but did not spot him a single time. She did however spot Malfoy at the Slytherin table making fun of someone again. Hermione knew without a doubt that it was probably Harry that he had been making fun of because ninety nine time out of a hundred it's Harry; Malfoy is making fun of. Hermione had wished several times since meeting him that Malfoy would find a new hobby but the closest that he had come to that was making fun of her before she smacked him during their third year. Ron and Harry seemed to be proud of her doing that.

She turned to look at Ron who was talking with Dean and Neville about some professional Quidditch match coming up. Neville didn't seem to be as excited about it as Dean and Ron did. But Neville was in to growing and studying plants more than he was into sports weather it was watching them or playing them.

While she was with everyone else about being glad to be back at school Hermione was slightly depressed because she didn't have Sirius or Cedric with her but it wasn't like she could carry either one of them in her bag as she went to her classes. She really missed them both. She seemed to miss; Cedric more because all the girls kept asking her about him. She replied that he was doing fine and going to school. Hermione had left out that he was going to a muggle school because she didn't know if Cedric wanted people to know or not.

She was hit with another dizzy spell and Ron finally noticed her.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked her. "You were staring off into space."

"I'm fine." I was just worrying about Harry. He hasn't shown up yet and he was on the train."

"Neville said he hadn't seen him since after they left Slughorn's little party."

"He probably got stuck on the train." Hermione replied.

Ron gave her a nod and then turned back to Neville and Dean. It didn't surprise her that Ron hardly made any effort to help her. She had always felt he had the emotional range of a tea spoon. It wasn't until now that that range of emotion's for someone his age seemed too small but it wasn't like she could force him to enlarge his emotional range. If she tried that his emotional range would only get smaller.

Tired of thinking about Ron and his emotional range of a tea spoon Hermione looked around the great hall again. It seemed that everyone but her was talking animatedly with someone next to them. She would normally talk to Harry, Ron or even Ginny but they were all elsewhere.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked.

"I'm fine just tired." Hermione said. "Also worried for obvious reasons."

"They'll be fine and I'm pretty sure Harry just got himself into trouble like he and Ron did my first year." Ginny told her.

"Well he doesn't have a car to fly and he made it on to the train so that limits his trouble making possibilities if he wanted to make it that is."

"Harry doesn't make trouble –well he did last year but there wasn't anything else he could do—any way Harry doesn't make trouble, trouble finds him anywhere." Ginny replied. "And your Dad and Cedric are bound to have long letters written for you waiting in the morning post."

"I know but it still doesn't help that fact that I miss them."

"Nothing will help."

"My mum feels the same way when ever dad has to leave for long periods of time." Ginny said. "I guess it helps that she has that clock."

"It doesn't surprise me." Hermione tells her.

Ginny turned to talk to someone else after making sure Hermione was okay. Hermione kept looking around. She soon found herself looking at the staff table. All the teachers but Hagrid and Snape were there the whole time. Hagrid arrived late for some unknown reason and Snape left shortly before Hagrid arrived. She wondered where Snape was and if he had indeed found Harry and punished him like he did in Ginny's first year. She didn't dwell on it much longer anyway because she didn't have the time to. Harry had come marching through the open doors to the great hall.

Hermione gasped in horror when she saw that her best friend was covered in blood. He looked at the Gryffindor table as walked faster than normal as he passed the other house tables. Passing the Hufflepuff table people started to stare at him, some even started to whisper to their neighbors as he passed them. Hermione had spotted him again after everyone started to stand up to get a better look at him. He sat down between Hermione and Ron. Hermione started to fuss over him right away. Ron was a bit blunter with his reaction.

"What's happen to your face mate?" Ron asked.

"There nothing wrong with is there?" Harry asked. "It thought Tonks fixed it."

"She did but she didn't clean it. Your face is covered in blood." Hermione said before she started to clean the blood off his face.

His face and himself looked much better now the blood was off his face.

"Is my nose okay?" he asked.

"It looks fine. Why should it be looking funny?" Hermione asked. "Where have you been we've been worried?"

"Later." Harry said. "I'll tell you about it later."

"Harry,"

"Hermione I said I didn't want to talk about it." Harry snapped.

Malfoy of course wouldn't let Harry have his peace. Instead he of course preformed an exaggeration again about what happened. Hermione ignored what he was doing and kept her attention on Harry.

Harry had gone to grab some food but it had disappeared. Instead he grabbed a bit more of the pudding than he normally would have.

"They've done the sorting." Ron said.

"What did the hat have to say this year?" Harry asked.

"Oh you know the same. That we should unite with our enemies, not much else though."

"Any mention of Voldemort?"

"No." Hermione said. "But Dumbledore hasn't made his big speech yet. So he could do it."

"Snape said Hagrid—"

"Hagrid arrived late but there wasn't any particular reason why, not that I could tell anyway." Hermione said. "He's waving you now."

"Where'd you run in to Snape?"

"When I was getting off the train." Harry said.

She could see Hagrid greeting Harry and Professor McGonagall scowling at the enthusiastic greeting next to him. It was also quite a shock to her to see her former Divination teacher sitting on the other side of him. The woman hardly ever ate with the rest of the school claiming that coming down into the school clouded her eye. Hermione preferred to thing she was a fraud and said that just to add to her mystic –for lack of a better word—along with the beads, shawls and glasses that made her eyes look ten times larger than what they really were. The overall look was more like a fake gypsy psychic at a town fair but then again there really wasn't any uniform look for physics' so you could never be sure who was telling the truth and who wasn't.

She knew that Harry was glad that he would be able to drop the class this year because of the heavier work load they would be given. A lot of the older students were relaxing a bit before the term started. Draco Malfoy was doing so by miming what he did to Harry once again much to the delight of his Slytherin class mates. Harry's gazed dropped to his plate.

"What did Professor Slughorn want with you?" Hermione asked him.

"Just what happen at the Ministry," Harry replied.

"He's not the only one that wants to know. Everyone else here does too." Hermione said. "We had people stop by are compartment to ask us went on but we didn't tell them anything."

"It's true. They all wanted to know if you were 'the Chosen One' of course we told them to leave."

Nearly Headless Nick had taken that time to come over and talk with Harry but left not long after for the end of the Gryffindor table. Hermione only listened part of the way. Instead she was looking at Professor Dumbledore as he began to stand up behind the Hogwarts Staff table. He was wearing dark blue Robes lined with silver stitching. Once he was standing all the way up the chatter died away pretty quickly.

"Good evening to you all!" Dumbledore greeted the students.

His arms were thrown open wide like he was trying to hug the whole room. The sleeve of his robe slid down his arm revealing his blackened hand.

"What's wrong with his hand?" Hermione asked Harry.

Hermione knew she wasn't the only one to notice Dumbledore's now dead-looking right hand. The murmurs of wonder spread like wild fire across the great hall. Hermione looked toward Harry but he just shrugged his shoulders he didn't know what happened to Dumbledore's hand either. Dumbledore just smiled as he looked out at all the students. He ignored the murmurs and slipped his blue and silver robes over his hand hiding it from the view of the students below. The student's however still continued to whisper about his hand and what might have caused it. He held up his hand like he was telling them to stop speaking.

"There is nothing for you to worry about." He said with an airy tone worthy of Luna Lovegood, before he continued on with his speech.

"His hand was like that when I met with him this summer." Harry told Hermione. "I figured he would have fixed it up by now though."

"Maybe he can't. It kind of looks like it died." Hermione said. "You can't always fix an injury like that with all the old curses and things out there."

The continued to listen to Dumbledore's speech, he wasn't as flamboyant with his hand movements as previous years because of his right hand. He talked about the new products that were banned –anything from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes— from the school to the team try-outs for the house Quidditch teams. They only really started paying attention when he started talking about Professor Slughorn.

"I am pleased to welcome our newest member of staff this year, Professor Slughorn."

A rather big bald man stood up and waved slightly to the students.

"He's an old friend and Professor and has kindly agreed to resume his old post as potions master for the year."

"Potions," Several people including Hermione mumbled.

It moved across the great hall like an echo in the mountains.

"You said he was going to teach us Defense." Ron said.

"Our Professor Snape has kindly offered to take over the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

There were shouts and groans of distain that Snape had gotten the Job that he had longed for. Harry seemed to be the loudest one near Hermione. He had shouted out 'no' causing several people to turn and look at him. Hermione wondered what made Dumbledore give the job of defense against the dark arts professor to Snape after all these years. What made him so trust worthy after all these years?

"Harry you said Slughorn was taking the DA position." Hermione exclaimed.

"I thought he was. Dumbledore told me that he was coming back to teach in is old position. I assumed he meant the DA position," Harry said. "because that was the only one open at least I thought it was. Well there is one good thing about it."

"What," Asked Ron.

"Snape will be gone by the end of the year." Harry replied. "The job is jinxed. No one teacher has lasted more than a year doing the job. Quirrell even died doing it. Personally I'd welcome another death."

"Harry!" Hermione Snapped. "That is not a nice thing to say besides he might go back to potions."

"I agree with Hermione Harry. The greasy git just might go back to teaching potions." Ron said. "Slughorn might not want to stay after the year is done. Moody didn't."

"That wouldn't matter. Moody was trapped inside a trunk for nine months." Harry said. "And the one that actually taught us was a death eater that is now worse off than dead."

The buzz of conversation that had erupted after the announcement that Snape got his dream job died down a little bit when Dumbledore cleared his throat trying to gain the student body's attention. Dumbledore clearly didn't recognize the gossip worthy news he had just announced to his students. He didn't say anything more about the staff and waited for the students to quiet all the way down before he continued to speak. Hermione like everyone else wasn't surprised when the next topic he brought up was Voldemort.

"Lord Voldemort and his followers commonly known as death eaters are once again at work and gaining more as time goes on."

It seemed like everyone but those sitting at the Slytherin table were paying attention to Dumbledore and what he was saying to them even if it was all rather boring and heard it over and over again over the summer from their parents.

"There are only so many ways I can say how dangerous the situation is, great care must be taken to make sure Hogwarts is to remain safe in this time of danger. Our magical weapons have been strengthened over the summer holiday, more powerful ways now protects us, and we still must guard ourselves cautiously. So to you students I implore you to obey the restrictions put in place no matter how annoying you might find them. So no staying out late and report anything you may find odd to me, your head of house, or another teacher immediately. I trust you all to keep your safety as well as that as the others in mind and not wander around when you should be in bed."

Carefully Dumbledore's eyes moved over the faces of the students closest to him and smiled once again; the man just liked to smile it seemed.

"But now with you all warm, fed and watered it is time you go to bed and get well rested for you lessons tomorrow. Goodnight ladies and gentlemen see all you tomorrow."

The benches scraped against the floor as all the students made to leave at once. Slowly they trickled out of the Great Hall to the dorms. The prefects were calling for the first years to gather around and follow them. Hermione ignored them since she wasn't on first year duty this time around. She just wanted to get up to Gryffindor tower and to her door with her bed so she could sleep. The climb to the tower took Hermione no time at all after ignoring Lavender's questions about Cedric again. Lavender had asked her three times now about him and Hermione wasn't one to talk about that kind of thing.

It didn't take Hermione to fall asleep after her head hit the pillow; she was out like a light. She only hoped that she would wake up on time when the morning came.

Sirius walked into the room that his brother was sleeping in. His couldn't get over the fact that his brother was alive let alone the fact that he was home sleeping in his childhood bedroom. In the span of a year he finds that he has a daughter he never knew about and his brother –long thought dead—is alive.

"You still can't believe it can you?" Remus asked.

"No. By all rights he should be dead but he's right there sleeping." Sirius ranted.

"There is a reason he is here with us. He can't remember what he has done." Remus said. "But Severus did say it might take time for the potion to kick in fully."

"Still can't believe you are calling him Severus."

"It's his name and it's high time that we start calling him by it. At least call him Snape, which would be better than nothing."

"I can't promise you anything." Sirius replied. "But I can try."

"Come on leave him be. He needs his sleep. He got a lot of his memory back and is exhausted because of that. You need sleep too and if you can't get to sleep write to Hermione. She needs you right now too."

"I don't want to tell her about Regulus until we know he's okay. She doesn't need this on her too."

"What do you mean too?"

"Even thought I told her not to I know she is looking into a way to get my charges turned around." Sirius said. "You know get my charges turned around; clear my name and all that."

"She's bull headed like you." Remus said. "She doesn't do anything that she doesn't want to. After all she was the one to talk Harry into teaching that group of students last year."

"That was Harry too. He wanted to push that bi*ch's buttons." Sirius replied.

"And Hermione didn't? You heard Harry she was the one that came up with the idea. Hermione would have found a way to teach them if Harry didn't step up to the job."

"Everyone is Gryffindor is bull headed even Neville and some seemed to think he should have been Hufflepuff."

"That boy is worthy of being in Gryffindor more than anyone I know." Sirius said. "And it had not a bloody thing to do with what happen to his parents."

"I agree." Remus said.


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione woke up the next morning well before anyone else in her dorm. She wrote a letter to Cedric and another to Sirius. After wards when everyone started to wake up and file down to the great hall so they could eat breakfast before they rushed off to their first classes. Hermione said nothing as Harry and Ron continued to talk about Malfoy and what Harry had over heard on the train. Hermione didn't really want to concern herself with that at the moment. Neither she nor Harry had any proof that what he heard was the truth.

She walked down to breakfast alone until Ginny had bumped into her on her way down with Dean. Hermione smiled and waved as she passed by. A few other students stopped her along the way and asked her about what happened at the ministry during the last term. Hermione politely refused to speak about the matter with anyone but those involved in the whole thing, and that narrowed it down to six people seven if Hermione counted herself. She kept to herself pretty much at breakfast spoke up when Ron mentioned the free time they had this year and couldn't really understand that it was meant to study, more work means more time needed to study.

It was towards the end of breakfast in the great hall when Hermione, Harry and Ron all came to the slightly horrifying conclusion that neither of them would be taking Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class. She had even voiced her opinions to Harry and Ron.

Ron had continued to talk while he was eating and ended up asking Hermione and Harry who in their year would be taking the stupid subject in N.E.W.T. level. It was true from conversations she heard during the morning walk no one in their year had planned on taking the subject again. Ron was right though because even they weren't going to take the class again and Hagrid was their friend. Looking toward the staff table they could only give half-hearted waves to Hagrid smiling cheerfully at them from behind the table.

After they had eaten and everyone else left the great hall they sat and waited for McGonagall to speak with them about their schedules. They had to have the correct OWL grades to continue on in certain classes.

"Okay Miss Granger let me see yours." Professor McGonagall said walking up to her.

Hermione handed it to her.

"You can continue with everything if you would like to."

"I'd like to drop care of magical creatures." Hermione said. "The other classes would provide too much work for me to continue with it and I need them but I don't need care of magical creatures."

"That's alright dear."

McGonagall tapped the end of her wand on Hermione's blank class schedule and all Hermione's classes and the times she took them appeared in emerald green ink. Hermione grabbed the schedule and ran off for her first N.E.W.T. lesson of the term.

Hermione wasn't the first to arrive to the lesson but she wasn't the last. There were only three other Gryffindors, three Slytherins, three Hufflepuffs and five Ravenclaws, making a total of fifteen students in the class. Hermione waved to them all and took a seat at the front of the class room. A few minutes later the professor walked in.

"All right class, it's good to see some N.E.W.T. a lot of new ones this year. This chart shows where I want you to sit." they said. "I don't want you all to get cliquey and stay with your houses. So come on now move to your assigned seats and don't moan about it or you will be doing lines after dinner tonight."

Hermione looked at the chart and then moved her things to the second desk in the third row. She was in between a Slytherin student on her right and a Ravenclaw student on her left.

"Now that you are all seated look at those in the same row as you."

Everyone looked around at who was in their row.

"The other two will be your partners for major projects in this class." The professor said. "And your first assignment is to decode the ruins written on the board behind me. You have until the end of the period to finish."

Hermione scooted back in her seat so Blaze and the Ravenclaw girl next to her could speak to each other without her in the way. The smiled at each other and shook hands.

"I'm Amelia." She said turning toward Hermione.

Hermione gave Amelia her name and shook her hand.

"I have no idea how we should go about translating it." Amelia said after an awkward silence.

"We could each do a third of the work." Hermione suggested. "And point things out that the others might have gotten wrong. That's better than just having one of use do all the work and the others sitting around doing nothing."

"She's right." Blaze said.

"You agree with me?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. Does that surprise you?" he asked.

"Considering your house mates; yes it does." Hermione replied. "You guys haven't exactly been open to me or other muggle born students even those in your own house."

"That was the work of my house mates not me." He replied. "I have a strong reason not to agree with them."

"And a reason that I assume that you don't want anyone to know about," Hermione replied.

"You would be assuming correctly." Blaze replied.

"I've looked over the translation and there are twenty-four paragraphs." Amelia said. "That would give us each eight paragraphs to translate into English. Do either of you want to go first?"

"I can go first." Hermione offered.

Amelia slid the paper over to Hermione and Hermione went to work. She worked quickly and wrote the first eight paragraphs on parchment handed out to them. She wrote as neatly as she could so Blaze and Amelia could read what she wrote. She slid the paper on to Blazes desk when she was done and he went right to work.

"You work fast." Amelia said.

"Yes I do. It's habit that I find hard to break." Hermione replied.

"It's a good habit to have now days."

"I can see why you would say that." Hermione said. "But it could also be a problem when mistakes are made. All that matters is that you get the work done correctly not how fast you get it done."

"I suppose you are right about that but sometimes you have to work fast because of a time restraint put on things." Amelia said.

Hermione didn't speak to Amelia after that. She watched Blaze's hand move across the parchment as the quill in his hand scratched against it. It didn't take him long to finish he portion of the translation. He handed it over to Amelia then opened a book he had removed from his bag. Thirty minutes later class was let go and Hermione ran down the stairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class room. There were already a few student's waiting for Snape to open the door. Most of them looked to be Slytherins. A few Gryffindor students waited there also but Harry and Ron were not there yet.

"There you are." She said. "I've gotten a lot of Homework for Ancient Runes," when Harry and Ron joined her. "An essay, translations and several chapters I have to read."

"That sucks." Ron said.

"Just wait, Snape is bound to give us loads of it." She told Ron. "It won't be so funny then."

Snape opened the door to the class room sending quiet over the small group of students, his face as cold as before.

"Inside," he snapped.

Hermione looked at the room. Snape had defiantly changed the room in to his own; it had a gloomier feel this time around. The heavy curtains pulled closed over the windows creating a darker atmosphere. Pictures lined the walks showing people in pain or suffering from a rather bad injury. Hermione said nothing as she took a seat down nor did she look at them nor they to her.

"I did not ask for you to get your books out." he said pushing the door closed.

He moved to the front of the room and stood behind his desk. Hermione put her bag under her chair so she didn't cause anymore problems.

"I would like to have your full attention when I speak to you." He said speaking up again his eyes moving over the room, lingering longer on Harry's face longer than he needed. "You have had five teachers so far in the subject,"

He said like they didn't know what he was talking about. They came and went like American pennies in a jar.

"Their methods and priorities are vastly different from my own so I am surprised that any of you were able to scrape up a single O.W.L. in the subject. I'll be even more surprise if any of you are able to keep up with the N.E.W.T. level work." he started to walk around the out edge of desk; students craned their necks to watch him continuously.

He spoke about the dark arts in a voice so low that most students had to lean closer to him to hear what he was saying. Hermione was itching to grab her bag so she could get out her parchment to take notes on what he was saying but chose not to out of fear. She looked at Snape and he looked past her toward Harry. He pointed to the pictures along the walls as he made each point. He touched on Everything from the Cruciatus Curse, a Dementor's kiss to Inferius.

"Inferius are being used?" Pavarti asked while someone else asked if Voldemort was using them.

"They were used by him in the past." Snape told them. "It's safe to assume that he could be using them now." He went off in to another direction in the class room back toward his desk his robes flying behind him like a bats wink. "I believe you are able to use spells nonverbally. So I ask what is the advantage of using nonverbal spell?"

Hermione raised her hand. Snape looked past her for someone else.

"Miss Granger?" he asked when he saw no one else.

"There is no warning of what spell you or your opponents are going to use." Hermione said. "That gives you a short advantage."

"True Miss Granger but try and keep your answers your own and not directly from the text."

Hermione stayed calm and ignored the urge to lash out at Snape. He continued on and had everyone pair up and test their ability to use a non-verbal spell. Not long after she was able to get Neville's wand out of his hand. Snape ignored this and continued to walk along the classroom walls.

The lesson continued on. Snape stopped by Harry and Ron and 'showed' Ron how to do it properly but was stopped by Harry before he could say anything. The charm harry had used caused Snape to fly back against his desk. Harry was rewarded for this with a detention.

Ron thought that it was brilliant while Hermione thought that it was really quite reckless of Harry to do. Hermione frowned at Ron after he told Harry this for the tenth time.

"Ron!" Hermione snapped. "That was dangerous of Harry to do. Snape is a teacher."

"He was going to jinx me." Harry said. "Or did you not notice. Dumbledore must have been off his rocker to let Snape have the Job. He spoke like he was in love with the dark arts. I me—"

"I thought he sounded like you." Hermione said.

"How could he sound like me? He loves the dark arts and I hate them." Harry replied.

"That doesn't matter. The enthusiasm that you use to speak about defeating the darks arts are the same in which he spoke about them."

"Harry wait up please," a Gryffindor Quidditch team member from the year before, called holding a roll of parchment. "I heard you were the new Captain?"

"Yeah." Harry replied grabbing the roll of parchment.

"When are you holding try-outs?"

"Don't know." Harry told them. "But I will let you know when I plan to have them Jack."

Jack look disappointed as Harry continued to ignore him. It wasn't on purpose he was distracted by what was written on the parchment that Jack had handed him. He ran off with Ron and Hermione by his side unrolling the parchment as he went. He stopped in an empty alcove so he could read it. Hermione read the letter from over his shoulder; Ron did the same from the other side of Harry.

"What does Acid Pops have to do with anything?" Ron asked him.

"It's the password to his study." Harry replied. "I've got to meet him Saturday, ha, I won't have time for Snape's stupid detention, and he won't be pleased about that at all."

Hermione knew Harry was right, Snape would not be happy about that but Hermione couldn't bring herself to care about the little displeasure that Harry's lesson with Dumbledore would bring to Snape. Hermione, Ron and Harry spend the rest of their break speculating on what Dumbledore could be teaching Harry come Saturday night. Hermione thought that it was most likely something to do with bringing Voldemort down for good.

She ran off to her Arithmacy lesson while Harry and Ron stayed back in the common room to start on the homework set by Snape. They still hadn't finished when she arrived back for their after-lunch free time. She helped them enough to get them finished by the time Potions rolled around and even then they had just barely finished it.

There were only a few of the original members of the potions class taking it at the N.E.W.T. level, the corridor leading to the classroom wasn't as crowded as it had been before. There were only four Slytherins, four Ravenclaws, and one Hufflepuff were continuing with the course after achieving the right grade. The Hufflepuff was a pompous boy by the name Ernie Macmillan had started to chat up Harry but was cut off mid sentenced by the dungeon door opening. Their new potions Professor Slughorn walked out. He greeted them all cheerfully and allowed them to enter the class room.

The Ravenclaw and Slytherin students stuck together and each took up a table to themselves leavening Hermione with Ron, Harry and Ernie. There were a few caldrons already brewing. Their table was close to one of a golden color.

"Now then," said Slughorn. "Everyone get your scales, kits and books out, and turned to—"

"Professor?" Harry asked with his hand in the air.

Slughorn looked at him.

"Ron and I don't have anything. We didn't know we'd be able to—"

"Yes, Professor McGonagall did mention that, don't worry, you can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and barrow scales and a book for an old stack left behind." He said. "Now I have few potions already prepared for you all to look at. You should be able to make these on your own after you complete your N.E.W.T. levels. I am sure you have heard of them before hand anyway. Can anyone tell me what this one is?" Slughorn said pointing to a cauldron by the Slytherins.

Hermione raised herself up out of her seat to get a better look at the caldron. Inside she saw what looked like water boiling. Hermione's hand shot up in the air to answer Slughorn's question.

"Yes?" he asked.

"It's Veritaserum, a potion that can be slipped into any food or drink and make the drinker or eater to tell the truth."

Slughorn cheer Hermione's answer and gave her five points for Gryffindor. He continued on and pointed to a cauldron in front of the Ravenclaw table and asked the same question. Hermione's hand again shot up into the air because she had brewed this same potion successfully back in their second year. Slughorn cheered her answer again and went on to the one in front of their table.

"It's Amortentia!" Hermione told him.

"Yes and it foolish to ask but do you know what it does?" Slughorn asked.

"It's a powerful love potion. There are a few characteristic similar to everyone but it's smell is different to each person –like a finger print—according to what we are attracted to. For instance I can smell new parchment, rain and—"

"Your name?" he asked.

"Hermione Granger."

He proceeded to ask Hermione if she was related to some famous wizarding grangers; to which she replied that she was a muggle born. Malfoy and his house mates laughed at her. Hermione ignored them. Ernie helped a little bit by asking what the last potion was.

Slughorn explained that it was Felix Felicis or liquid luck as most people like to call it. Everyone in the class sat up a little straighter as Slughorn explained the potion a little more. He told them to turn to a page in their books and brew Draught of living Death –a powerful sleeping potion—located on that page for a chance to win a small bottle of Felix Felicis. He left them with the fact that he didn't want a completed unusable potion but a usable in progress one if that's what they had at the end of the lesson.

Hermione opened her book and went to work. She quickly lost herself in her work and didn't know any time had passed until Slughorn called for them to stop stirring their caldrons. He moved along the tables looking to each person's caldron as he went making no comment as he went. He smile at Hermione and even Draco's caldrons but gushed like school girl over Harry's caldron and awarded him the Liquid Luck.


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione became agitated with each passing potion lesson because Harry had done well, following the instructions in the margins of the book instead of the instructions written by the author. Slughorn was raving about him and say that it had been years since he taught anyone so talented. Ron didn't seem to be happy about it either. Harry had offered the use of his book to Hermione but she didn't think it would be right. Ron how ever did ask Harry what he should do but only when it wouldn't look suspicious. Hermione while tempted to ask did not and held true to what she called the 'official' instructions but did get mad when her results turned out poorer than Harry's had. She had told him several times that it was wrong of him to use the notes made in the book but he wouldn't believe her.

"It's going to get you into trouble."

"No it's not." Harry replied. "He was experimenting you can't get in trouble for that."

"They could have been a girl Harry, the writing looks more like a girls that it does a boys," Hermione snapped after he called the prince a 'he' for the third time. "And you can get in trouble for doing that."

"I won't get in trouble." Harry said again. "The book is signed in Half-Blood Prince how many girls are or have been princes?"

Hermione couldn't come up with an answer to his question. She scowled at him before turning her attention back to her essay. She pulled it closer to herself when she noticed that Ron was trying to read it. Harry looked at his watch, stuffed the book in his bag and hopped up to his feet.

"I better get going. I don't want to be late for my lesson with Dumbledore." He told them.

"Good luck and remember every single thing he tells you so you can tell us." Hermione Called to Harry as he left.

"Hope it goes okay," Ron said as he and Hermione watched Harry disappear beyond the portrait hole.

"Me too," Hermione replied. "I'm going upstairs. I'll be back down in an hour if Harry isn't back by then I will be going back up for another hour."

Ron just stared at her. He was probably disappointed that Hermione wasn't going to help him with his essay like she did every other time they were assigned an essay in class. Hermione needed her time alone and helping Ron would not be the way to get her time alone.

She finished her essay and took a break from the rest of her work and read one of her favorite muggle novels. Halfway through the third chapter there was a tapping on the window. She got up and went over to the window and opened it. A smallish brown barn owl flew in and landed on her bed and held out its leg. Hermione released the letter from the owl's leg and it flew right back out the window into the night.

The letter was from Cedric. His familiar script put a smile on Hermione's face.

She unrolled it the rest of the way and read it out loud to herself now that her dorm mates weren't in the room with her.

_Hermione,_

_Classes have been going okay. I've only been having trouble with one class and that's because they want me to use one of those computer things muggles like so much. I told the school that I was home schooled and that my parents didn't believe in computers but I was willing to learn. They laughed and gave me a type writer to use until I understood how to use the keyboarded correctly._

_But other than that I am doing good. I see the signs of Voldemort gaining more power and I panic about you being at school and forget the fact that you know perfectly well how to protect yourself. Heck you've nearly creamed me during our duals over the summer…_

Hermione laughed at that.

…_But as I said I am doing good. I've aced the muggle history class I'm taking. It's weird because I already know the magical aspect of most of the events but to see what the muggles think happen is kind of cool._

_Sorry I was writing this in between classes and the bell just rang so I have to go. I'll write you more later._

_Cedric_

_P.s. Sorry if this get's there late the owl was the only one I could find._

Hermione smiled and wrote a quick note back to Cedric and went to the owlery to send it and hoped that Harry wouldn't come back to the common room until after she was done. She got her wish. He was not in the common room when she got back but Ron wasn't there either.

"Ginny where's Ron?" she asked.

"Don't know. He left with his broom about ten minutes after you did." Ginny said. "I think he's practicing his flying again. Worried that Harry won't let him be on the team this year."

"That's crazy the only thing wrong with Ron's playing is that he lets his nerves get to him." Hermione replied.

"I know and no matter how many times anyone tells him Ron won't listen." Ginny said. "I doubt that he would even listen to Dumbledore if he told Ron to calm his nerves. So what were you doing?"

"I was sending a letter to Cedric." Hermione told her. "He sent me one earlier and I didn't get it till a half hour ago."

"That seems kind of long."

"The owl he used was small and kind of like Pig."

"Not you too. His name is not Pig."

"It's the only thing that owl responds too." I said. "Besides you named your pygmy puff Arnold."

"What's so funny about Arnold? There is a muggle cartoon with that name."

"Nothing's wrong with it but people might think it's odd that you named a pygmy puff after a muggle cartoon."


	9. Chapter 9

As the days went by Hermione spend more and more of her free periods doing quite a large bit of the home work that the teachers have set. It wasn't as much as she thought she would be getting but they hadn't been in school all that long. Their lessons were more demanding that ever before and so much so that even Ron and Harry were studying more. Hermione was surprised that even she had to ask a few of the teachers to repeat things every now and then. Hermione also became slightly angered at Harry now that his best subject seemed to be Potions thanks to the book he grabbed out of Slughorn's cabinet.

The hardest part was they were now supposed to use nonverbal spells in just about every one of their classes. It wasn't odd to see people straining like they and been dosed with U-No-Poo from Fred and George's shop but in all honesty were just trying to perform spells without saying them aloud. It was almost a relief to get to the green houses for Herbology where they had yet to use nonverbal spells in their work even if the plants they were learning about were much dangerous than ones they have dealt with before.

But one unfortunate result of the larger work load was that Hermione nor Harry and Ron had yet to visit Hagrid. He had stopped coming to meals a few days ago causing them all to worry but he didn't seem to notice them when they passed in the halls of the castle or on the grounds outside or called his name when they spotted him not that that was hard to do.

"We have to go and see him," Hermione said on Saturday morning. Hagrid's seat was once again empty. "We can't have him hate us for not taking the class"

"There are Quidditch tryouts this morning." Ron said. "And we have that work for Flitwick! There's no good way to tell him we hated the stinking subject."

"We didn't hate it." Hermione screeched.

"Says you. I haven't forgotten those dang skrewts," Ron snapped. "He'd have us teaching his brother how to tie his shoes if we had stayed in the class. I'm glad I'm not risking my limbs this term. Seriously do you want to be teaching Grawp who to say the alphabet or whatever Hagrid is teaching him that day?"

"No but I hate not talking to Hagrid." Hermione said. "He's our friend."

"We can all go after the tryouts." Harry told her. "But they might take all morning. There have been a lot of people who have applied for spots on the team. It seems odd that the team is really popular, it wasn't like this last year or every other year I've been on the team."

"Harry it's not the team that's popular it's you." Hermione replied like it was obvious. "The girls did it because they want to get closer to you and the guys because well I'm not sure why it could be anything—" she added trailing off. "But they all have to admit that you were telling the truth about Voldemort, not to mention the rest of the Wizarding world has to admit that too. Fighting five times and surviving to tell the tale each time is a feat of magic that most could only dream of. You are now being called 'the Chosen One' –and you are saying you can't see why they would want to get close to you?"

Harry looked away from her. Hermione was sorry that she made him feel awkward but it needed to be said.

"—and you were persecuted by the Ministry and you still have scars where Umbridge made you use that blood quill. After all that you still didn't sway from the story you told. You said the same thing over and over again to everyone no matter who they were in the school or ministry."

"You can see where those brains attacked me," Ron said.

"You have also grown like a foot over the summer and that certainly doesn't hurt," Hermione replied.

The morning post arrived before Harry or Ron could reply to her. The owls flew in from the rain sending drops of water on to the students below them. More and more students were getting mail as their parents started to worry about them being away at school and wanted to know they were alright.

Hermione had only received a few scant letters from Sirius since the start of the term telling her that he was working on something and couldn't actively write to her. It worried her but she knew he was doing better now that he had something to do. She looked at Harry –who was in the same boat as her—he had untying a package from Hedwig. Ron was doing the same with his owl. They each ripped off the paper on the packages to reveal their new potion books.

"Now you can give that dreadful book back." Hermione told Harry, she did nothing to hide the delight from her voice.

"I'd be mad if I did that." Harry said. "I've already come up with a plan."

And before Hermione knew it Harry had pulled the old copy out of his school bag and made the cover fall off. Hermione nearly ripped his wand out of his hand when he did the same to the brand new book and swapped the covers before repairing them. The new book looked odd with the old raggedy cover on it and the old book looked just as odd with a new and shiny cover.

"Slughorn can have the new one." Harry said.

Hermione ignored them and turned her attention to the Daily Prophet owl caring that morning's copy. She untied the paper and slipped the money into the pouch tied to his leg. She unfolded the paper and quickly scanned the first page.

"Anyone dead," Ron asked casually.

Hermione shook her head no and continued to look at the paper.

"No death, but a few more Dementor attacks, and an arrest." She told them.

"Who was it?" Harry aside.

"That guy from the night bus. Stan Shunpike." Hermione replied.

"Why would he?" Harry started.

"It says that he was arrested for suspicion of Death Eater activity, he was arrested at home."

"There is no way Stan Shunpike could be a Death Eater," Harry said. "Ron would be a better Death Eater than him."

"It scares me that you would say that but Stan could have been subjected to the Imperius." Ron said to them. "And you can never tell when someone is under it."

"Not likely," Hermione said. "He was arrested after he was overheard talking about things in a pub." She paused. "But I don't think he's a Death eater. It's highly unlikely that they would be talking about their plans in the middle of a crowded pub."

"Probably showing off like he was with those veela." Ron said. "Talking up a bigger storm than what's really going on."

"I just don't get why they are taking Stan Shunpike seriously."

"They have to make sure everything is what it is especially after they denied that Voldemort was back for so long." Hermione said. "People are scared and running for cover, the Patil twins are fighting their parents about going home and Eloise has already been taken out of school."

"That's crazy there's no safer place than Hogwarts." Ron said. "We got Aurors and Dumbledore!"

"But I don't think we have him all the time. He's been gone as much as Hagrid has been this week." Hermione said. "Besides parents are much calmer when their kids are at home even if they are fully grown."

They all looked at the staff table. Dumbledore's chair was empty again but so was Hagrid's seat, but Dumbledore's seat being empty was much more noticeable than Hagrid's because Hagrid wasn't the head master.

"He's probably left to go do something with the order." Harry said. "I mean things are only going to get worse for us right?"

Hermione and Ron didn't answer Harry but Hermione knew that they were all thinking the same thing. The day before Hannah Abbott had been told that her mother had been found dead and no one had seen her since.

They left the table a few minutes later for the Quidditch pitch for the try-outs. They passed by the Patil sisters and lavender brown. They didn't look happy and were whispering heatedly at each other. They went unnoticed by Harry but Ron however started to walk with a little bit of a strut and grinned when Lavender winked at him as they passed.

Hermione resisted the huge urge to laugh out loud at lavender's forwardness but kept from doing so because she hadn't laughed at Harry when Malfoy had broken his nose. Hermione however continued to keep quiet all the way down to the stands and went to find a seat in the stands without saying anything to Ron. The trials for the team took longer than Hermione figured it would because more people than possible. Half of their own house showed up.

Hermione saw Harry talking to one of the older students and then pointed to one of the end of the pitch close to where he was sitting. The boy –who she thought was named McLaggen—didn't look happy at all.

Harry made all the people waiting to try out fly around the pitch once and sent the people who couldn't fly off the pitch –it would be safe to say that most of them were first years that had hardly flown before and one even managed to crash into the goal post. A group of second year girls went after the first years and giggled like crazy when Harry blew the whistle –Harry sent them all away too. They went and sat down in the stands and watched the rest of the tryouts. The third, fourth and fifth groups weren't much better because they were either from the wrong house or part of a crash halfway around the pitch.

"ANYONE WHOS NOT IN GRYFFINDOR LEAVE THE PITCH NOW." Harry yelled at them as he pointed to the end of the pitch.

That wasn't the end of everything because only a few people ran off the pitch. Two hours and several complaints and tantrums later Harry found three Chasers for the team two of which he had worked with before (Ginny and Katie Bell) and one he hadn't worked with before (Demelza). Harry continued to shout at the ones that protested at who Harry chose. He was now having a similar argument with the Beater rejects that were complaining.

"If you don't like who I picked get over it and get out of my way or I'll have the keeper's hex you."

Hermione could tell that Harry whished that he had Fred and George back but he got a decant pair of Beaters in Peakes and Coote. There wasn't much he could choose from and Hermione was sure that he was settling because know one short of a pro Quidditch player (or Fred and George) would make him happy with who he had. Peakes and Coote walked over and joined the three Chasers.

Now it was time for the spot on the team Ron was trying out for: The Keeper. The stadium wasn't as empty as Hermione hoped it would be when the time came but several people from other houses had come down to see what was going on, even those that were rejected had stayed to watch the Keeper tryouts. Hermione watched as two Keepers rose up in front of the goal post. Hermione glanced toward Ron, knowing that he had a problem with letting his nerves get the best of him and the tinge of green to his face told Hermione that they were winning the battle again and Ron looked like he was about to puke. The first five Keepers didn't do too well at protecting the goal post.

When McLaggen turn was up Hermione sat up straighter, he got the first four of the five of the balls thrown at him. Hermione without a thought brought out her wand –making sure to hide it from view—and pointed it at McLaggen and muttered the Confundus Charm. McLaggen went in a different direction than the ball he flew to the ground cussing up a storm as Hermione slipped her wand back into the holster Sirius had gotten her that summer.

Ron went up in the air looking like he was going to fall from his broom. Lavender Brown made her presents know again when she yelled out good luck to Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes at the girls forwardness and went back to watching Ron as he saved not one but all of the balls from being scored.

Hermione rushed down into the pitch to congratulate Ron.

"His sister let him win." She heard McLaggen complain to Harry.

Hermione heard harry reply back but continued to look for Ron. She could still hear McLaggen complaining and begging Harry to give him another chance. She gave up looking for Ron and went to Help Harry with McLaggen.

"Actually McLaggen Ginny wouldn't give Ron and easy go at anything. Little sisters never make it easy for their big brothers get anything."

"Give me another go." McLaggen said.

"No." Harry said firmly. "You've had your go and you lost, Ron is Keeper and earned it fairly. NOW get out of my way."

McLaggen looked like he wanted to punch Harry but looking at all the people around Harry he grumbled and walked way voicing several things he would like to do to Harry. The members of Harry's team beamed at him. Ron finally got over to them and smiled at them.

"You did great." Hermione told Ron.

Ron smiled and stood a little taller when Hermione told him that. Lavender Brown didn't look too pleased the Hermione was near Ron. She walked off the pitch with the Patil twins in toe, she was red in the face and Hermione was pretty sure that it wasn't from embarrassment. They stayed for a few more minutes so Harry could give the time of their first practice (next Thursday), they said good bye to the rest of the team and left the pitch for Hagrid's hut. Hermione's stomach rumbling with the strain of hunger and she was sure that Ron and Harry's stomachs were rumbling with hunger too. It was unlikely that there would be anything edible at Hagrid's but they walked toward the hut anyway.

"Yes, yes Ron we get you are excited at how well you did." Hermione said.

She was getting quite annoyed with Ron and his constant talk of how he made the save and how he narrowly missed them on way or another or how he thought that McLaggen had been Confunded –which he had been—but Hermione wasn't about to tell them that. She wouldn't be surprised if her cheeks were tinged pick because of it. Harry looked at her oddly but Ron was too busy talking to realize it.

Buckbeak –who was given back to Hagrid under another name—was tethered outside of Hagrid's hut. He reared his head toward them.

"Still scary isn't he?" Hermione asked.

"You've ridden him why are you scared?" Ron asked.

"I've ridden horses too and I'm still scared of them." Hermione replied.

She watched as Harry approached Buckbeak and bowed to him like Hagrid taught them to do in their third year. Harry spoke to Buckbeak but Hermione could hear what was being said. He stroked the feathers on Buckbeak's head gently as he talked to him.

Only a few short seconds later Hagrid was yelling at them. He was wearing apron with flowers all over it. His ever present dog Fang was right there behind him barking.

"Git away from him. He'll bite your fingers off before you can scream." Hagrid yelled. "Oh it's you."

Fang jumped up at Hermione and Ron. Hagrid looked at them for his spot but quickly turned on his heal and stormed inside his hut slamming the door closed behind him leaving Fang outside with the trio.

"Oh no!" Hermione said.

"Don't worry Hermione, Hagrid is just being stubborn." Harry said as he knocked. "Hagrid open up the dang door."

There was no sound of movement being made.

"I'll blow it off if you don't open it." Harry said.

"Harry you can't possibly thing that it's okay to blow a door off," Hermione said.

"I can if I want to." Harry said.

Harry had barely gotten his wand out and ready when the door in question flew open slamming against the side of the hut. Hagrid did not look happy but quite scary in the flowery apron.

"I'm a teacher Potter!" He yelled at Harry. "And you threaten to break my door down?"

"Sorry _Sir_." Harry replied putting a lot of emphasis on the word sir as he put his wand away.

"Why'd you call me sir?" Hagrid asked.

"Why'd you call me Potter?" Harry shot back.

"Very clever you are, Hagrid growled before he started to mumble. "Fine come in you ungrateful little…"

Hermione and Ron moved into the hut looking a little more than frightened at what Hagrid was darkly mumbling.

"Well?" Hagrid asked in a grumpy tone.

Hermione, Harry and Ron all took seats around Hagrid's large wooden table – well everything Hagrid owned was large. Fang staked his claim over hair and was now drooling all over Harry's robes.

"Why you here? Feelin' sorry for me are ya?" Hagrid said.

"We wanted to see you." Harry said.

"And we have missed you." Hermione said.

"Yeah right," Hagrid said.

Angrily he stomped over to his stove and started messing with his kettle and muttering while he did it. He sat bucket sized cup of tea down if front of each of them along with a plate of his rock cakes. Harry took one but Hermione and Ron stayed away.

"Hagrid," Hermione said. "We really wanted to continue with Care of Magical Creatures—"

Hagrid had started to peel potatoes quite violently. It made Hermione feel guilty that they hadn't continued with is class or at least came and seen him sooner. Hagrid just laughed. Hermione wasn't sure but she thought that she saw something fly from his mouth or nose and land on the potatoes. She was glad that she wouldn't be staying for dinner.

"—but we couldn't fit it into our schedules."

"Right," said Hagrid.

There was a weird squeaking noise causing them all to look around. Hermione screamed and Ron jumped out of his seat. Harry was the only one (besides Hagrid) that kept their cool. Across the room in a large barrel were large maggot like looking things withering all around. Hermione nearly got sick at the sight of them.

"What are those?" Harry asked sounding more revolted than interested he set the rock cake he grabbed aside.

"Giant grubs," Hagrid said.

"What do they grow into?" Ron asked, looking nervous.

"Nothin', I just use 'em to feed Aragog."

And not even two little seconds later Hagrid burst into tears.

"Hagrid!" Hermione yelled. She jumped from her seat and went to put her arm around Hagrid's shaking shoulders. "What's going on?"

"It's him… It's Aragog…" Hagrid said big tear drops falling from his eyes. He wiped the tears away with the flowery apron. "He got sick sometime over the summer and he hasn't gotten any better… I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't make it… I've had him so long."

Hermione gave Hagrid's shoulder a comforting pat. She had no idea what to say to Hagrid. She wondered if Harry and Ron felt the same way. They had know Hagrid for six years and in that six years seen him give a dragon a teddy bear, croon over giant scorpions (that nearly killed them) and attempt to teach his giant half-brother how to read and speak English. Hermione however didn't meet Aragog and only knew what Ron and Harry told her about the giant spider, they had run into the spider when she was petrified during their second year.

"Is there anything we can do?" Hermione asked.

"Hermione I don't think there is." Hagrid said after he had stopped crying long enough. "The rest of Aragog's family don't seem to want me around as much now that he's sick… they're a bit resistant really."

"I saw that bit of them when I met them second year." Ron said. "It wasn't pleasant thing."

"It can't be safe for anyone but me to go near them at the movement." Hagrid added blowing his nose on his apron. It almost sounded like a fog horn. "But thanks for the offer. That means a lot…"

The tension that had been in the air left quite quickly after that, even thought not a single one of the trio showed that they would –they really didn't want too—feed the giant of a spider. Hagrid slowly became himself. The sadness he felt over his _friend _being ill went always.

"I guess I always knew it'd be hard for you to find to take my class and all your others." He said "Even if you used Time-Turners—"

"Even if we wanted to we couldn't have," Hermione said. "All the time turners were broken when we went to the ministry last summer."

"I know," Hagrid said. "No way for you to do it. Sorry I've just been worried about Aragog and me brother and wondering if Professor Grubbly-Plank was teaching that you'd—"

"Oh no she was a dreadful teacher." Hermione said.

"You were loads better." Ron said.

The said a few more things along the lines of Grubbly-Plank being a bad teacher even though she wasn't it came time for them to head back up to the castle. Hagrid wave good bye to them as they left the room.

"I'm hungry." Harry said as they moved through the dark. The rock cake he had grabbed long forgotten. "But I have that stupid detention with Snape tonight. Don't have much time for dinner."

"You shou—"

"Don't tell me what I should have done Hermione." Harry snapped.

They ran into McLaggen on their way into the Great Hall. He hit his head on the door twice before he could get in. Ron walked in the great hall laughing his head off. Hermione went to walk in after him but was stopped by Harry holding her back.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"You know McLaggen looks like he was Confunded today. He was standing right in front of you. Do you have something to say about that?"

"Fine I did it," Hermione whispered as blush flooded her cheeks. "But I couldn't stand the way he was talking about Ron and Ginny and his temper was real nasty and well you saw how he was when he didn't get picked, he wouldn't have been right for the your team."

"I guess you are right. But you're a prefect? Confounding someone isn't an honest thing to do." Harry asked.

"Just be quite like you wouldn't have done it if our places were switched." Hermione snapped.

"Come on you two!" Ron called.

Hermione and Harry didn't say anything and hurried in after Ron. Their stomachs rumbled with hunger as the smell of roast beef reached their nose. They took a step toward the Gryffindor table but their path was blocked by their new potions professor—Professor Slughorn.

"Harry just the boy I wanted to see," He greeted twirling the end of his mustache around his finger. "I was hoping to have your for dinner tonight, I'm having a little party with a few others."

Once he was done Slughorn gave a little bow to Hermione. He had spoken to them like Ron wasn't there. Hermione could see that Ron was disappointed that Slughorn didn't act knowledge him. Harry was still talking to him but Hermione stayed by Ron.

"I can't go professor. I've got detention tonight with Professor Snape." Hermione heard Harry said.

"I guess I'll just have to go have a word with Severus about the situation." Slughorn said. "I was counting on you coming. I'm sure I could talk him into letting you come. I'll be seeing you both latter."

"There is not a chance in the fiery pits of Snape's caldron will he talk Snape into letting me go." Harry said. "He's postponed it for Dumbledore he won't do it for Slughorn or anyone else."

"I'd wish you could come, I don't want to be by myself." Hermione said. "McLaggen will probably talk about how much of an idiot you are for not choosing him."

"You won't be alone, Ginny will get invited too." Ron snapped.

Hermione made her way to the Gryffindor table; she ate some of the roast beef she smelled earlier. After they finished eating they went up to Gryffindor tower. The common room was crowded, but they found an empty table and sat down. Ron was still moody after Slughorn had ignored him. Hermione grabbed an Evening version of the Daily Prophet that someone had left on the table and started to read it.

"There anything new?" Harry asked her.

"Oh no—" Hermione said. "Ron your dad made the paper—he's okay but he's been to Malfoys' home to search it."

"Why was he there again?" Ron asked.

"To search it," Hermione said. "It's the second time that the house has been searched but nothing was found but that they were working on a tip that came in anonymously."

"That was me." Harry said. "I told him before we left King's Cross what we saw Malfoy do at Borgin and that he wanted to know how to fix something. I guess whatever he wanted Borgin to fix is here at Hogwarts with him."

"But he couldn't have Harry." Hermione said from behind the news paper. "We were all searched before we arrived. There's no way he could have gotten anything dark in."

"I wasn't searched." Harry said. "When were you?"

"It was after we got into the castle" Hermione said. "It wasn't bad but all Filch did was run over us and all of our stuff with Secrecy Sensors when we got to the entry hall. If there was any dark object found it would have been confiscated. Crabbe had something taken away and I think a few other people did too."

"Someone sent it to him by owl." Harry said. "His mother or someone else close to him."

"The owls are being checked too." Hermione replied. "Filch mentioned it when he was jabbing those at Secrecy Sensors at us."

Harry didn't say much else and stayed quiet like he was thinking about something. He was looking toward Ron who was staring at Lavender Brown.

* * *

**Hope you like this chapter and any recoizable work belongs to those who own it. I own the plot not seen in JKR's orginal work.**

**Maye**


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione barely had any time to research Wizarding law over the next few weeks. She only had a chance to look over the books twice after she was done with her home work. She hardly even paid attention to Harry and his wonderings about Dumbledore and where he was and if he had forgotten about the lessons with Harry. Hermione worried for Harry but could not really bring herself to worry over Dumbledore like Harry did; she had Sirius, Cedric and herself to worry about.

But halfway through October their first trip to Hogsmeade was posted on the board. Hermione was a little surprised that they were still able to go, given that Voldemort was out and about. Hermione was just happy to see that they would be able to go and get out of the castle and the confines of its grounds for a while.

Hermione woke early the morning of the trip and wrote a quick letter to Sirius and another to Cedric. She then read a little bit in her potions book. She wanted to learn what they could be doing in the coming weeks, that and she couldn't help but read ahead in her books.

Her favorite book by far was the one for her transfiguration class. There was so much included in the book that she could read it over and over again and learn something new. She had already practice a few of the spells for the section that wouldn't be covered until the next term. Most of them were used for protection and she wanted to be prepared for anything that she might face now that Voldemort was out and about.

She had even found a few spells in books from the library that she found useful. The most useful spell she found was one to see if there was any poisonous thing in the food or water you had around you. Hermione was glad to have that because of the time they were in and many people could be out to get Harry or anyone that associates with him. There were a few color changing ones that she had found but she had also seem them in her transfiguration book so they weren't new.

Harry however had spent his time going over his potions book and seeing what the half-blood prince had written. The only spell that Harry had played around with that Hermione like was the Muffliato because it kept people from over hearing their conversations. Hermione was a private person and didn't like her information being out there.

The wind and sleet continued to pound against the windows. She continued to write letters to Sirius and Cedric because she hadn't been able to send the first ones she'd written. The letters were now each three pages long. She had just added more to them when she thought of something new to add to them. She signed the bottom of the letters when it was time for her to get ready for breakfast. She changed into jeans, a t-shirt, sweater and winter coat (which was draped over her arm). She grabbed her back (with letters packed inside) and went to greet Harry and Ron before the three of them walked down to the great hall for breakfast.

Her roommates were just now waking up. All though some were further along in the stages of waking up than others. She quickly slipped out the door because she didn't want to hear the gripe about how their hair wasn't doing what they wanted or how it was going to be ruined when they went out into the weather. She heard it practically every other day of the year she didn't want to hear it today. She ran into Ginny on her way down.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You seem like you are in a rush."

"Fine I'm just trying to avoid the rush morning complaints." Hermione replied.

"They've started early."

"It is storming outside." Hermione said. "They don't want their hair to get ruined."

"There are spells they can use to protect it." Ginny said.

"You know that, I know that, they know that but are too lazy to use them." Hermione replied.

"Guess you know what to get them for Christmas if you do buy them anything."

"I highly doubt that I'll be getting them anything right now." Hermione replied. "I'm not particularly close to any of them."

"Can't blame you. It's not like we are all going to get alone with who are dorm mates are. Personally I think Harry and Ron got lucky."

"Speaking of them those too I have got to meet up with them." Hermione said. "See you later."

Ten minutes later Hermione was sitting next to Ron in the great hall listening to him tell the tale of how he was woken up that morning by Harry. Hermione didn't think it was funny at all.

"You've used another spell from that book didn't you?" Hermione asked. "That books not good, one day you'll come across something that will get you into trouble."

"It's always the worse with you isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Well was it?" Hermione asked.

"Yes but no one was hurt so I don't see what the problem is." Harry said.

"The problem is that you thought that it would be a good idea to use some unknown spell on someone would if Ron had gotten hurt instead of rudely woken up."

"What's wrong with it being hand written?" Harry asked.

"Because it wouldn't be ministry approved." Hermione said. "That Prince character is a bit dodgy."

"Come on it was just a laugh." Ron said. "A laugh that's all. No harm came of it."

"Dangling people upside down sounds like fun to you?" Hermione asked. "Besides who puts their time into making up stuff like that?"

"Fred and George might think it was a good laugh," Ron said. "Sound like i—"

"My dad," Harry said, will a gloomy tone.

"What?" Ron and Hermione shouted together.

"Uh… Lupin told me my dad used it." Harry said. "He didn't tell me what it was just that my dad used it."

Hermione had a feeling that Harry was lying about that but she had no way to prove it. A truth potion would take too long to brew and it wasn't something that Hermione would want to give to Harry. She trusted him so there would be no reason for her to give it to him.

"Your dad might not have been the only one to use it." Hermione said. "We've seen a lot of people use it."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked defensively. "I…"

"Dangling people in mid-air, that doesn't sound familiar to you?"

"That was completely different." Ron said coming to his defense. "They weren't using it for fun. Harry was."

"They were Death Eaters it was their idea of fun," Hermione snapped. "And fun has nothing to do with it. It's irresponsible to perform spells you've found written in an old school book and have no clue what they are meant to do besides the name 'Prince' is some stupid old nickname and they don't seem nice to me."

"I don't see how you could come up with that. I don't see a Death Eater going around bragging about being a half blood." Harry said. "Can you see a Death Eater doing that?"

"No I can't but there have to be half-blood Death Eaters because there are not enough pure bloods left in the world." Hermione said. "Most of them are only pretending to be a pure-blood. It's only Muggle-born witches and wizards they can't stand. You and Ron would be prime pickings for them."

"I could never be a Death Eater." Ron said. "My family is filled with nothing but blood traitors and they are just as bad as Muggle-Borns to them. Heck they would even love to have Harry if they weren't trying to kill him off the whole time."

Hermione grimaced at Ron's comment. It wasn't something that she wanted to think about. Any one killing Harry or anyone else she loved wasn't something she wanted to think about.

"Yeah they wouldn't take me even then. I'd be a blood traitor." Harry said.

Ron snorted out in laughter; Hermione forced a smile.

"What it's true." Harry said when he caught the looks they were giving him. "I don't think that people like Hermione should be kept away from their magic."

Footsteps from behind them tore Hermione's gaze from Harry.

"Harry I was told to give this to you."

Hermione was pretty sure that it was announcing another privet lesson with Professor Dumbledore.

"Thank you, Ginny." Harry said.

"When's your next lesson?" Hermione asked him.

"Monday night," Harry said. "It's about time. It's been weeks since my last one. Are you going to join us in Hogsmeade?"

"I can't I'm going with dean but we could see you there." She said waving goodbye and walking away.

Walking out to the main hall later they ran into Filch. He was manning the large front doors and had been charged with checking off the names of people allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Filch took longer because he kept running his Secrecy Sensor over them.

After his third pass over Ron; Ron had snapped, "Why doesn't it matter if dark stuff is going out? You are supposed to keep it from coming in."

His comment had earned and extra large jab to the ribs with the sensor. Hermione and Harry snickered as they pulled their cloaks tighter. Their walk to Hogsmeade was not fun or any amount of enjoyable. The small parts of Hermione's exposed skin now felt numb from the cold wind blowing against it. Most of the student's walking to Hogsmeade like them were doubled over trying to protect themselves from the wind. Hermione thought that staying in the common room would have been a better option. A few of the shops had been closed and boarded up because of Voldemort's return.

Ron pointed to Honeydukes, which was still open and the trio trudged through the bitter wind to the blissfully and mercifully warm shop. Hermione staggered in behind him and Harry. The shop was crowed from student's who had the same idea as them.

"Oh man I say we stay here the whole afternoon." Ron said.

A booming voice from behind them told them all that their potions professor had the same idea as them or had just stopped in but Hermione was sure it was the latter.

"Oh no," Harry said when he heard Slughorn's voice.

"Harry I'm a little disappointed you have missed four of my little dinners now." Slughorn sounded a little dejected. "That will not do at all; I'm determined to have you attend. Even Miss Granger loves them, don't you Miss Granger?"

"They are just fine." Hermione said.

"So you will you come to the next one Harry?" Slughorn asked in a tone that said it was more of a demand than a request.

"I've had Quidditch practice, I'm captain this year and we have a lot of new players so we have practice a lot and I have to be there." Harry said.

"Then you should certainly win your fist match will all that practicing." Slughorn said. "But Mo—"

"I've got a meeting with Professor Dumbledore Monday night." Harry told him.

"Oh I have to be unlucky again." Slughorn said sighing dramatically. "But you can't avoid them forever Harry."

Slughorn then left them and the shop with a wave and clutching a large bag of sweets. Ron was disappointed that he had again been ignored by the professor.

"I can't believe that you have gotten out of another dinner." Hermione said. "I've only been able t get out of one and even then they aren't that ba—but they would be better if you and Ron were there. I would have someone other than Ginny to talk to."

Hermione hurriedly changed the subject to a candy display in front of them. It was all done up for the holidays of the specials (ten sugar quills for the price of one). They spend more time than usual looking at all the displays but Ron was still moody.

"It'll be warm in Three Broomsticks, we should go there." Harry said. "I could go for a butterbeer to."

The re-bundled themselves and went back out into the skin numbing wind. The wind seemed to only get worse as they made their way over to Three Broomsticks. The street was nearly empty as most people rushed from one shop to the next hurrying to get the things they needed, so it made the two men standing outside of Three Broomsticks stick out like a sore thumb. Hermione recognized one of them as the man that ran the Hog's Head. The other man became more recognizable as they moved closer to the pub.

It was Mundungus Fletcher. He was a member of the order and a thief. He was a short man with long scraggly red hair. He had two old and ugly looking suitcases (most likely filled with stolen good) tucked up under his arms. One of the suit cases slipped from the hold of his arm and felt to the ground splitting open. Hermione was right stolen goods that looked familiar.

"Hello, 'arry," Mundungus said. "Nice seein' you here but I have got somewhere to be. I'll be seeing you."

Mundungus had ducked down to pick up everything that had fallen out of the suit case and quickly ran away.

"Was he selling that stuff?" Harry asked.

"I would guess so. It was probably all stolen too." Hermione said. "I mean he had all those dodgy caldrons brought to the headquarters last year. Ron's mum went nuts."

"Hang on he left something behind," Ron said. "I think I've seen it before."

He picked up a silver goblet and showed it to Harry and Hermione.

"That Sirius's," Harry said.

"He must have gone in and pilfered the place when Sirius was at Hogwarts after the fight at the ministry." Hermione said. "No one would have been there to stop him for about a week maybe even longer."

"I can't believe that he took it from Sirius." Harry said. "Sirius was nice to him allowed him in there and he…"

"There is nothing we can do about it now." Hermione said. "At least we can send this back to him. He might not care that Mundungus stole it. He hated that place after all."

"That's true but it doesn't mean it is right" Harry said. "I kind of want to hunt him down and get the rest of the stuff."

"Harry you can't Sirus wouldn't want you to." Hermione told him. "Come on let's go get that butterbeer."

"THAT BLOODY THIEVING…." Harry yelled at the top of his voice.

"Harry there is no point." Another voice said. "Mundungus will be in London or out of England by now."

"Tonks," Hermione said. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been station here." She said. "The ministry wants the school to be protected."

"You should get out of the cold." Tonks said without her normal cheerfulness. "It won't be a good idea if you get sick."

Hermione led the two boys into Three Broomsticks with Tonks watching. Harry continued to gripe about Mundungus stealing Sirius's stuff.

"Harry I get I really do but could you stop shouting about it. People are starting to stare." Hermione said. "Sit down by Ron and I'll get the drinks."

Hermione found Harry still fuming a few minutes later when she appeared carrying their butter beers.

"The dang order should be controlling Mundungus shouldn't they?" Harry asked.

"Harry he can't take any more stuff from the house of black." Hermione said. "Sirius is staying there until he can prove that he's innocent." She stopped to take a sip of her butterbeer. "But yes I'm annoyed by it too. I'm Sirius's daughter and it's my family's things he's taking and selling in dark alleys but Sirius doesn't care about that stuff so I don't see why you or I should either."

"I still don't like him. He is dodgy and I do not think he is trustworthy." Harry said. "He's a thief no much honesty in his line of work. They lie on where they got stuff, where they took it or how much they got for it. At least tell Sirius for me Hermione."

"I will." Hermione said.

She looked up from her butterbeer to see Ron looking off into space.

"You see something?" Hermione asked with an airy ton in her voice.

"Not a thing." Ron said.

"Yeah I don't believe you." Hermione said. "She's probably in the back getting more firewiskey."

"I wasn't looking for her." Ron snapped at her.

He took a drink of his butterbeer so he wouldn't have to talk any more. Harry had remained silent after he stopped talking about Mundungus stealing Sirius's things. Hermione tapped her fingers on the top of the table out of boredom, looking between Ron and the untended bar. Hermione drained her bottle.

"I think it's a good time to leave don't you?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron.

The two in question nodded, paid their tab and bundled up for their trip back up to the castle, in weather that had only gotten steadily worse since they've been in the pub. Katie Bell and one of her friends were in front of them arguing over something as they walked up the High Street. Hermione's mind was on Sirius and Cedric wondering when she was going to get her letters to them. It would be better when spring came or at least when the weather wasn't as bad. Shaking her head she trudged on in the frozen slush. She couldn't wait to climb into the prefect bath tub and soak and let the warmth of the water seep into her bones.

"It has noting do with you, Leanne!" Hermione heard Katie yell.

The two girls continued to argue over a package that Katie was carrying. It was small and wrapped in brown paper. Their figures started to blur as they got farther and farther away from the trio, while more and more of their argument was being carried back on the cold biting winds. Katie's friend Leanne grabbed the package and tired to rip it from Katie's hands the tugged on it back and forth and soon it fell to the ground while Katie rose up into the air with her arms outstretched like she was going to fly away.

There was nothing comical or beautiful about Katie being suspended in air. Katie rising into the air was eerie more than anything. Her hair was wiping wildly around her face by the strong winds. There was no expression on her face and her eyes were closed. Hermione stopped right in her tracks and looked at her. Leanne was only a few feet a head of them looking up in horror.

When Katie got to be about six feet above them she let out a blood curdling scream. Whatever she was experiencing was causing her a great deal of pain. Leanne started to scream along with her as she tried to pull her down to the ground but it didn't work. Hermione rushed to help but even that didn't work and nor did Harry and Ron when they ran over a few minutes later. Instead Katie fell in a heap on top of them. They lowered her to the ground where she continued to thrash around screaming.

"Hermione stay here," Harry shouted over the wind. "I'll go for help.

Hermione could see why he was going for help. There was no one in the area that could help them. She stayed with Leanne and helped her trying to keep Katie calm. She watched Harry run down the lane toward the castle… toward help. Ron stood behind her and Leanne looking on in horror at what he saw.

More and more students seemed to stop and stare at what was going on. Hermione wished she could guard Katie from their gawking but couldn't. She pushed Katie's hair back away from her face in a calming gesture. Leanne kneeled on the ground crying over her best friend.

Eight minutes later Harry came running back up the lane with Hagrid. Hagrid got to them before Harry did and had to push his way through the small crowed of students that had gathered there. Ron had joined her and Leanne in trying to calm Katie down. She was still screaming and moving around on the ground.

"Come on get back, get back!" Hagrid said. "Come on let me through I need to see her."

Leanne told Hagrid in between sobs what had happened to Katie. Hagrid looked down at Katie for a moment and then without a thought swooped down and picked up Katie up from the ground. In the next second he was running up toward the castle at full speed. Katie's blood curdling screams soon died on the wind.

Hermione hurried over to Katie's friend who was still crying and put an arm around her trying to comfort the girl.

"Your name is Leanne, isn't it?" Hermione asked.

Leanne nodded.

"When she went in the air was it all of a sudden or—"

"It happened when the paper ripped open." Leanne said through her tears to the large snow soaked package lying on the ground just feet away.

The paper was split open and showed a green glittery jewel. Ron bent down and reached his out to touch it. Harry grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Don't." Harry said. "We don't know what it did to Katie."

Harry bent down to get a closer look. The ornate necklace was poking out of the paper slightly.

"I think I've seen this before." Harry said. "It was on display at Borgin and Burkes years ago. It must have been cursed or something nearly everything in that shop is dodgy. The only question is how did Katie get this into her hands."

"It's why we were arguing. She came back from the bathroom holding it, said it was a surprise for someone at Hogwarts and that she had to deliver it to them." Leanne said. "Oh I bet she was—"

Leanne began to shake with even more sobs.

"Leanne it wasn't your fault." Hermione said. "Did she say who gave it to her?"

"No, that's why I knew something was wrong. She wouldn't tell me who gave it to her just that she was to take it up to the school and give it to someone there. I tried taking it from her and you saw how that ended.

"Come on let's get you back to school." Hermione said. "We can find out how she is doing." Hermione added helping her stand up.

Harry paused for a second then pulled his scarf off and wrapped the cursed necklace in it and picked it up.

"Madam Pomfrey will need it to help Katie," he replied to Hermione's questioning stare.

Hermione helped Leanne up and walked toward the castle. She tried to comfort Leanne the whole way up to it. Hermione wasn't sure how well the comforting was doing; Leanne just seemed to cry and not much else.

Harry and Ron were behind her talking about whom or how the necklace got into Katie's had or why someone wanted her to take the necklace up to the school. Hermione agreed with some points my by each boy. She could see why Harry suspected Malfoy or why Ron doubted that it was Malfoy. Hermione sided with Ron because she couldn't see how Malfoy could do it all –not that he was dumb.

"McGonagall," Ron cried out.

Hermione looked up and saw the professor rushing toward them down the castle steps and threw the bitter wind. Hermione came to a stop in front of her and Ron and Harry stopped right behind her.

"Oh dear Hagrid says you four saw what happen to Ms. Bell." McGonagall said. "Please go up to my office. What is that in your hands?"

"It's the thing that Katie touched Professor." Harry replied.

"Oh my," McGonagall replied. She took the necklace from Harry's hands and treated it with kid gloves. "Mr. Filch don't they are with me." She added as Filch came running with his Secrecy Sensor in hand and waving it around. "I want you to take the necklace to Professor Snape now and do not remove the scarf."

Hermione, Harry, Ron and Leanne followed Professor McGonagall upstairs to her office. The windows were now rattling because of the sleet pounding them. Professor McGonagall opened her office door and allowed them to enter. There was a chill in McGonagall's office even with the fire rolling in the fire place.

"Tell me what happen." McGonagall said.

Leanne went first. She told McGonagall everything she knew from Katie to going to the bathroom in Three Broomsticks up until she rose into the air. She told how she thought that it was odd Katie was insistent on delivering the package to the unknown recipient. She told how Katie must have touched the necklace after Leanne had tried to rip it from her hands causing the package to be torn open. Leanne had turned into a sobbing mess that she couldn't continue speaking.

"Okay Leanne, you can go up to the hospital wing and please have Madam Pomfrey give you something to calm your nerves they have to be shot right now."

With Leanne out of the room McGonagall turned her attention back to the trio.

"What happened with Miss. Bell and how was that necklace—"

"She touched it and rose into the air." Harry said before Ron or Hermione could say anything. "Then when we went to help her back down she fell to the ground. Can I see Dumbledore?"

"No he is away until Monday." McGonagall told him.

"He's away?"

"Yes, Potter he is a very important man." McGonagall replied. "But anything you have to tell him can be told to me."

Harry hesitated for a moment. Hermione wasn't sure what he wanted to tell Dumbledore, she could only hope that Harry would tell her what he thought. He was nervous his eyes dotted all over the room avoiding everything in sight.

"I think Malfoy is the one that gave Katie the necklace," Harry said.

Ron did nothing and acted like he hadn't heard what Harry told their Professor. Hermione just looked down at her feet. She knew that's what Harry thought but there was no proof that Draco had given the necklace to Katie."

"That's a serious accusation, Mr. Potter do you have proof to that?" McGonagall asked.

"No I don't," Said Harry, "But—"

"Mr. Potter if you don't have proof do not make the accusation." McGonagall asked. "What you've said Mr. Malfoy has done is serious matter in a time of great turmoil."

"He was in Borgin and Burkes asking how to fix something." Harry said. "But that necklace was in the shop."

"How did you know it was there and did you Mr. Malfoy leave the shop with anything?" McGonagall asked. "Because again you would need proof of you accusation."

"No he didn't leave with anything but he couldn't leave with anything."

"Harry," Hermione said. "I don't think he brought anything out or wanted to. Borgin asked him if he wanted to but Malfoy told him no."

"That's because he didn't want to touch the thing." Harry said. "You saw what it did to Katie."

"No he told basically told Borgin that he would look like an idiot carrying whatever it was down the street." Hermione explained.

"He would look like a prat carrying a necklace," Ron said coming from nowhere.

"Ron the necklace would have been wrapped up so he wouldn't have to touch it and no one would know what it was. He could have easily said it was a gift for his mother." Hermione told them. "Besides I asked Borgin what it was when I went into the shop to see what he wanted and he said the necklace hadn't been sold."

"You beyond obvious." Harry said. "He knew what you were up to five seconds after you entered the shop and Malfoy could have written him while here at school saying that he wanted it."

"Oh that is enough!" McGonagall shouted cutting Hermione off before she could speak. "I thank you Mr. Potter for telling me your suspicions of Mr. Malfoy but they are just that suspicions, so I have to remind you that Mr. Malfoy is not the only one to visit that shop also security measures put in place would have made it impossible for Mr. Malfoy to have brought the necklace into school without the staff being alerted to it."

"I tried telling him that." Ron said.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley also Mr. Malfoy was not in Hogsmeade today so he could not have given the necklace to Miss. Bell."

Harry just looked dumfounded at her statement.

"How—"

"How did I know?" McGonagall asked.

Harry nodded.

"I knew because Mr. Malfoy was in detention with me. He's failed to complete his home work twice now. So again thank you for telling me what you knew, Mr. Potter." She said walking past them. "I'd like to talk more but I do have to check on Miss. Bell sometime tonight."

She held open her office door. They had been dismissed and had no choice but to file out past her without another word. Harry looked ticked off, while Ron was indifferent.

"Who do you think the necklace was meat for?" Ron asked as they walked up to the common room.

"I don't know but it could have been catastrophic for Katie." Hermione said. "And whoever it was meant for had a narrow escape also. After seeing what happen to Katie, I believe that necklace would have killed anyone who touched it full on."

"That necklace could have been meant for anyone in the castle." Harry said. "Dumbledore would be my first guess; any Death Eater would have wanted to knock him off. Or may be Slughorn, he said the Death Eaters what him but who knows if he was telling the truth."

"What about you?" Hermione asked. "You have to be a Death Eater target."

"I don't think so." Harry said. "Katie could have just turned around while we were walking back and given it to me. We were behind her the whole way, and it would make sence if she gave it to me then if it had been meant for me because Filch was checking everyone coming and going. Wonder why Malfoy wanted her to take it inside the castle."

"Malfoy wasn't in Hogsmeade Harry, McGonagall just told you that." She snapped. "You didn't listen to her did you?"

"Maybe he had an accomplice, then." Harry said. "People commit crimes like that all the time."

"Yes they do but they aren't all sixteen and going to school inside a castle in the middle of nowhere." Hermione countered.

She was tired and hungry which in turn made her irritable and rather hard to talk to. Hermione gave the password to the Fat Lady and her portrait swung forward. She mumbled goodnights to Harry and Ron and trudged up to her dorm. She had passed through the common room without talking to anyone because all they wanted to talk about was what happened to Katie and there was only so many times and so many ways that Hermione could tell them what happened.

She was glad to find the peace she wanted inside the curtains of her bed. Only one of her roommates was in bed. The rest were down stairs talking about what happened to Katie and how terrible it was. Hermione agreed that it was terrible but there is only so much you can say until you have beaten the subject to death.

A faint tapping could be heard in the room and it was starting to bug Hermione because she couldn't find the source of it. She finally gave up and figured it was the pounding of the sleet and hail against the window. She climbed into bed and fell asleep only to be woken up an hour later for Lavender Brown holding a letter.

"The dam owl has been tapping on the window since I've gotten in." she snapped before walking away.

Hormone pulled her bed curtains closed, laid back and ripped the letter open carefully. It was from Cedric. Hermione's cheeks flamed with her blush at the sight of his had writing. She missed him and couldn't wait to see him.

_Hermione,_

_Sorry if this gets to you late and its arrival wakes you up but I got some news and I just had to tell you. I got a job at a muggle shop. I know to you it's not a big deal but to me it is. I guess because for once I have too actually try hard at something. School came easy to me and I have a feeling real life won't be like that but then again you also know that. _

_The guy that gave me a job and asked me what if I had anything to do while I was on my way home. I told him I didn't and he handed me a broom and told me to clean up and if I did a good job that I could get paid for doing a good job. I did get paid it wasn't much money but I liked doing the job and earning money that I didn't use magic to earn._

_I'm sorry I got to go._

_I miss you._

_I love you._

_And I can't wait to see you again._

_Love, Cedric_

Hermione smiled as she finished reading Cedric's letter. She scrapped the letter she had written him hours ago and started a new one.

**Cedric,**

**It's good to hear from you. I had already written you a letter and was waiting for the weather to clear so I could send it when I received yours. I threw that one away and started to write this one. I'm happy you got a job if it makes you happy and it seems like it does because going to school can seem like it's repeating it's self after a while.**

**I was glad to receive you letter when I did because something really bad happened on my way back from Hogsmeade with Harry and Ron. Katie Bella –a girl a year ahead of me—was hurt. We don't have any idea what's wrong with her because she just touched something that was cursed. It worries me that someone could get to just a little ways from the castle. If that object had gotten into the castle who knows what would have happed or how many people could have been hurt.**

**Sorry for the depressing turn, but I wanted to tell you before you read it in a newspaper or the gossip mill finally got to you. So to turn things in a happier direction tell me what your favorite muggle thing is so far? Write what you can tell me about it and I'll explain anything you don't understand but only if you don't go and read about it first.**

**I guess this is goodnight or morning depending on when you get this.**

**So goodnight.**

**I miss you**

**I love you.**

**And I really can't wait to see you again.**

**Love, Hermione**

Hermione folded up the letter and sealed it with candle wax from the candle beside her bed and put it away so she could send it tomorrow. She snuffed out the candles flame and slipped back under her covers. Her sleep was fit full but then again no one in Gryffindor tower would sleep well that night not after what happened to their house mate that is.


	11. Chapter 11

**_CEDRIC Sunday_**

He had sent off a letter hours ago to Hermione. He knew he wouldn't receive one in reply from her until the morning. He missed her dearly but knew that he had to finish at least one term at the muggle school like he had promised Hermione that he would. The home work he had after school today was mostly history, but there was some math and science.

He got home that day and found a note from his father.

**_Cedric,_**

**_It's your father; I've to leave for a few days. I'm going to London on Ministry business. I don't think I will be home this week. I've already told your mother and please take care of her while I'm gone._**

**_Your, Father_**

There was a short note from his mother tacked onto the end.

_Cedric,_

_I've been invited to dinner with some old school friends. I will then be staying in London with your father._

_Your, Mother_

Cedric crumpled the note up and tossed it in the trash bin. He walked to the stove and made himself dinner. He ate alone by the light of one single candle since his mother and father were out tonight. He ate quickly then cleaned up the muggle way to waste more time.

He took a shower and then did his home work and then turned to write in a journal he had started to keep after Hermione went back to school.

5th October_ 1996_

_I went to Muggle School again this morning. It turning out better than I thought it would be. I still miss Hermione but my studies keep me distracted a little bit. My dad and mum are working more and more too. I guess it is their way a preparing for me to be out of the nest as the muggles like the call it..._

Cedric didn't right much else after that. He did do a small sketch of Hermione. It'd be a nice gift for her but he honestly wanted to keep it for himself. He placed the picture he kept of Hermione and placed it in between the page with the drawing and the page with the previous entry and closed the journal for the night.

He snuffed out the candle and climbed into bed. He wouldn't be going to school instead he would be hunting down the perfect Christmas gift for Hermione. It was a bit early in some people's opinion to be Christmas shopping but Cedric didn't feel like putting it off until the last minute considering he really had no idea what to get her.

**_HERMIONE Sunday_**

The news of Katie Bells attack the next morning had the gossip mills running on high alert. Thankfully Katie had been taken to St. Mungo's before most students were up. Everyone knew that she had been cursed but most had the details so confused that Hermione, Ron, Harry and Katie's friend Leanne to set them straight on what happened.

"Please, Malfoy knows," Harry said for the fifth time. Hermione rolled her eyes behind his back and Ron just acted like he didn't hear what Harry said.

Hermione ignored him by wondering if Cedric had gotten the letter she sent this morning when the weather had cleared up enough. She and Ron were now in the common room doing home work waiting for Harry to get back from his privet lesson with Dumbledore.

"Ron you are doing it wrong, you don't make the 'e' long." Hermione said. "It's supposed to be short."

"I'm done all this stuff is boring anyway." Ron said throwing his quill down onto the table. "Do you know when Harry will be back?"

"No. It depends on what he has to show Harry or what he wants Harry to do." Hermione replied. "Since you don't want to study anymore I'm going to the library."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"To look up wizarding law, something I'll have to do if I want even the tiniest chance clearing Sirius's name."

"Oh do you need help?"

"Thanks but no. This is something I want to do on my own and I think you would distract me more than I needed if you were there helping me." Hermione told him. "But thank you for offering maybe you could talk to Lavender she looks like she wants someone to talk to."

"You want me to talk to her, why?" Ron asked.

"I've seen the way you look at her. Go put on your big boy pants and talk to her." Hermione said. "You have nothing to lose so why not try."

"I just might do that now since I have nothing better to do."

"Actually if I now you like I think I do you still have homework to do but you just won't do it." Hermione said picking up her bag. "I'll be back in an hour but if I forget and I'm not here when Harry get's back come get me."

Ron gave her a wave with two of his fingers sticking out making it look almost like a salute from a soldier. She pulled her bag close to her and walked out of the common room. She walked down the stone hallways and eventually found herself digging through the library stacks for a law book that could help her clear her father's name. So far the only books she had found had laws that were old and no longer used anymore. There a few books that looked promising but used terminology that the average human couldn't comprehend even if they seemed to be a genius sometimes.

**_Wizarding Law by Arthur Guthwich_** was a book that Hermione found just before she had to leave. She grabbed it and checked it out under the careful eye of Madame Pince. When Hermione got back to the common room Ron wasn't there but Harry wasn't either. She instead headed up to her dorm so she could start in on Arthur Guthwich's book and prayed that it would help her with Sirius's whole legal situation.

The names of the chapters caught Hermione's attention and there were only ten.

_1 Basic Laws: Every Wizard or Witch Should Know Them_

_2 Laws for Trials: Laws Lawyers & Criminals Should Know_

_3 Laws for Arrest: Laws Every Criminal Should Know_

_4 Marriage Laws: Protect Yourself While Getting Married_

_5 Wills and Trust: Protect Your Fortune for Future Generations_

_7 Obscure Laws: They Could Help or Hurt You_

She noted the pages for Trials, Arrest and Obscure Laws figuring they would be the most likely help her in her quest to clear Sirius name. She laid the book on her bed side table when she heard the noise of an owl pecking on the window. Hermione walked over and opened the window and let the owl in. It flew to her bed and settled down on the edge and held out its leg. Hermione untied the letter and let the little owl go. The owl didn't leave. There were two letters, one was from Sirius and the second one was from Cedric.

_Hermione,_

_I've got some really good news for you that I can't exactly tell you in a letter. I'll tell you when you come home for Christmas (so please come home). But the news comes from my time in America. On my last they there I was walking back to my hotel (the only wizarding one in the area) and ran into this man. I knew him years ago and thought him to be dead. The name he gave me was not the name I knew him by or the name I knew him to be given when he was born. _

_The man in question was my brother at least I think this guy is. We are getting the testing done but it's going to take a while because we don't want it out in the open because we don't want you know who to get a hold of him. He's in a safe place right now. Please keep this secret and don't let anyone else read. You can tell Harry and Ron but stress to them that they can't tell anyone about this._

_Love your dad,_

_Sirius_

Hermione set that letter aside and read Cedric's letter.

**_Hermione,_**

**_Sorry this letter is short but I don't have much time. I am sorry to hear about Katie Bell, I hope she gets well and can finish school. I sent flowers to her parents saying they were for her and how sorry I was to hear of her attack. Other than that my days have been surprisingly normal, I haven't seen much Death Eater activity but they are operating in London while I haven't been there in months. I have a ton of homework to do. I don't think I ever had this much while at school. _**

**_But to answer the question from you last letter on what my _muggle thing is so far? To be honest there is so much to choose from that is nearly impossible for me to pick. But I have to say I like the portable music players I've seen people carry around. It would be nice to listen to music any where I wanted to from the park to the library (if I kept the volume low enough). So let me ask you this being raised muggle you whole life what is your favorite thing about being a witch?**

**_I really can't wait to see you again._**

**_Love, Cedric_**

**_P.S. Please Be Safe_**

Hermione smiled at the letters. She couldn't wait to tell Harry and Ron about Regulus possibly being alive. Harry would be happy that Sirius had someone other than themselves to rely on. She folded up each letter and tucked them into the bottom of her truck under books that she liked to read but no longer needed anymore and then wrote back to each of the.

**_Dad/Sirius,_**

**_Sorry about the top of the letter, I guess I'm still getting use to everything. I'm happy that you've found the man you believe to be my uncle. I can't wait to meet him but that can't happen till around Christmas (only a few short weeks away). I'll assume that you know about Katie Bell from Harry. She got cursed by touching a necklace. McGonagall has Snape taking care of that but I'm not sure why I guess he knows about cursed objects or something like that._**

**_Love, Hermione_**

She sealed it shut with candle wax then started on a letter to Cedric.

_Cedric,_

_What is my favorite thing about being a witch?_

_That is really kind of hard to answer because there is so much I don't know and so much I want to learn. But since you are making me pick I have to say that I like charms and potions between those two I can't pick and do not try and make me pick._

_Since you seem to like music what band do you like most in muggle music? I myself like country music mostly artist from over in America. My favorite artist right now is Reba. She is a female artist so you might not like her. So being the male you are I'll recommend Jonny Cash, he's always a good one to listen to weather you are male or female._

_Love, Hermione_

She folded the last letter up to and sealed it with wax. She thought about sending the letters off with the owl but it was too late and she didn't' want to wake up Sirius or Cedric for something as small as a short letter from (not that they would care) so she tucked them in to her book and sent the owl off to sleep with the other owl. She closed the window when the owl was out of sight; then slipped under the covers and into a fit full night of sleep. Dreams of Cedric and Sirius in danger kept walking her up all night long. She just glad she didn't wake up screaming.

**_SIRIUS Monday_**

I sent a letter off to Hermione a few hours ago. I had put it off long enough but had to tell her that she had a living breathing uncle. Regulus had taken that potion but was now slowly remembering it all. He now thought that he was a Death Eater but Sirius and Remus had him staying at order headquarters under the guise that they were planning an attack. It kept Regulus busy and kept him from trying to get outside.

"Sirius you are not moping again are you?" Remus asked.

"No." Sirius replied. "I'm more or less worrying."

"Why is that?" Remus said.

"I got a letter from Hermione yesterday." Sirius said. "A seventh year by the name of Katie Bell was cursed."

"How I thought they were being checked?"

"Everyone was. They had gone to Hogsmeade for a weekend and Kate came back with a package that contained a necklace." Sirius said. "She and a friend started to fight over the package and Katie touched it and in the process was cursed."

"Hermione and Harry weren't hurt were they?"

"No Katie was the only one physically hurt." Sirius replied.

"Take joy in that fact. They are fine and will be coming home for Christmas." Remus said. "And if you need someone to talk to talk to Molly. She has just as much to worry about at that school as you."

"I don't see how. I have known I had a daughter for just over a year and know that my daughter was Hermione for a few months." Sirius said. "And Harry isn't even mine."

"It doesn't matter how long the person is involved in the child's life. The child can turn out to be anything." Remus told him. "Look at Voldemort, Dumbledore tried to be there for him and was but Voldemort still went dark. Look at Harry he had been through a lot and he is one of the kindest people that I have ever met."

"You make a good point but it doesn't make it any easier." Sirius said.

"I never said it did. Now let's go check on that brother of yours." Remus said.

Remus got up and walked out of the room and went to find Regulus. They found him in the library pouring over books like he was studying for his NEWT leave test. He didn't even register the sound of the walking in the room.

"Reg," Sirius called.

"Leave me alone." Regulus said. "I'm working on something."

"Did you get another part of your memory back?" Sirius asked him.

"Yes and if it is a true memory then I am going to be a giant target from Lord Voldemort if he finds out that I'm alive."

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"Because I discovered something about him, I have no idea how I did but that doesn't matter the point is that I did." Regulus said. "I don't have any clue of what I found out though but I do have an idea of what it might be."

"What do you think it might be?" Sirius asked pulling a chair up next to him.

"Horcruxes," Regulus stated.

"You really think that?" Remus asked.

"Yes, they are bits of someone's soul concealed in an object. Something that likely means something to them." Regulus said. "With Voldemort that could mean anything because no one has any real connection to him, not even his Death Eaters."

"There is no real proof of this. Anything object out there that Lord Voldemort had come in contact with could be one."

"They are not just going to be something he comes in contact with any were they are going to have meaning to him." Regulus contoured. "He was obsessed with the number seven. He sent death eaters out on raids in groups of seven. I would say he had no more than that." He paused. "But I also think one or more of them came from Hogwarts or had some kind of connection to the school or its founders because he was also obsessed with the school,"

"How do you know he was obsessed with the school?" Sirius asked.

"I heard rumors from the other Death Eaters a few time but I was in the room once when he said that he wanted to turn the school into a pure blood only school."

"Thanks for telling us but its late go get some sleep." Sirius said. "We'll go over all of this tomorrow after we have gotten some sleep."

Regulus stood up from the desk and walked out of the Black Family Library after mumbling a goodnight to Sirius and Remus. Sirius and Remus went to work cleaning up all the books and stacking them neatly on the desk. Making sure to mark where the books had been left open. He didn't bother skimming over any of the books because he knew that Regulus would be telling him all about it tomorrow.

Sirius left Remus to his own devices in the drawing room a few minutes later and checked onto his brother who he hoped was sleeping. He was snoring when Sirius looked into his room. After making sure is brother was sleeping just fine Sirius walked up to his room to fall asleep himself but sleep didn't come it eluded him.

He was there lying awake when dawn broke. He was tired but couldn't force his body to go to sleep no matter how hard he tried. Instead he climbed out of bed and found himself pacing the room. He would stop every now and then and look at something he had posted years ago and could hardly remember putting there. The only thing he could really remember is the picture he put of himself and his friends. He had tried taking it down when he first came back to the house but a permanent sticking charm had been used to keep it there. He didn't want the one person there so he focused on the other two.

**_CEDRIC Monday_**

He remained a sleep until he was woken up hours later by an owl tapping on his window. It was the morning the sun streaming through his window told him that. It was the daily prophet owl. There wasn't anything of his interest in the paper. There were a few deaths but they were natural and not at all caused by Lord Voldemort's ever loyal Death Eaters.

He heard the rustling of fabric behind him. He turned with his wand ready to face the source of the sound.

"Put your wand down." His mother said.

"What are you doing here I thought you were going to stay with dad?" Cedric asked her.

"I had to come home and get some things your father forgot to take with him." She replied. "How is school going with you?"

"Good. I even got a job." He replied.

"You got a job where?" She asked. "Are your father and I not giving you enough…"

"I've got enough mum. I just got the job to help me pass the time." He told her. "I get my home work done pretty quickly and needed something to do. I don't have friends with me all the time like I did when I was in Hogwarts."

"Fine but you better let me know if you need more money." She said. "Now tell me how Hermione is doing?"

"She is doing pretty well," Cedric replied. "She's busy with school but she is a newt student now so I understand."

"You two are getting serious it seems?"

"Maybe," Cedric replied. "Not entirely too sure and I would have to talk to her about that not my mother."

"Just let me know if you need Grandma Kay's ring."

"I don't think we are at that point but thanks for the offer." He replied. "I'm pretty sure I should give her some other kind of jewelry before I give her that ring and I have no idea what to get her."

"Start simple." His mother replied. "You could get a chain and get different pendants for each thing that reminds you of her that she could easily slip off for another one."

"Where did you get that idea from?" Cedric asked.

"I was passing by some muggle store today and they had a display full of things like that. They had bracelets too but with how much Hermione does with her hands I figured the necklace would the better choice for her."

"Where can I find the store?" he asked.

"I left the address on your desk." She said. "I better get going now. I'm sure your father is worrying about me."

"Send message when you get there." Cedric told her. "I don't need to be worrying about you and father now."

"We'll be fine. We have been protecting ourselves long before you were born." She said.

She left the room after giving him a kiss on the cheek. She picked up the bag of things Cedric's father had left behind and walked out the door. Cedric followed his mother and continued to watch her until she turned on her heel and disappeared just beyond the garden wall. It was where Cedric would disappear moments later after he made sure the house was locked up. That spot was the apparition point.

Seconds later he appeared in front of an old jewelry shop tucked away in the heart of London.

The shop was small, nondescript and tucked in-between two much larger brick buildings. If Cedric hadn't been paying attention to the signs he would have missed the shop completely as he walked down the street looking for it. He saw the display that his mother had told him about. He could already see what he wanted to get Hermione. Since there were no prices listed he could only hope that he had enough money for all of the ones he wanted to get Hermione. He took a deep breath and walked into the store.

He walked over to the display and started looking at the pendants. He picked out the ones that were obviously Hermione, a book, an owl and her birth stone.

"I could pick out each and every charm for the girl you are shopping for."

Cedric nearly jumped out of his skin.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm okay I just didn't hear you." Cedric replied. "But how could you pick them out?"

"I'm a witch." The woman replied. "I know you are a wizard because of the wand sticking out of your pocket."

Cedric adjusted his wand so it was no longer visible.

"You still haven't told me how you could pick the charms that are perfect for her."

"I can't do that out here. Follow me to the back room."

Cedric slipped his wand in to his sleeve and followed the woman into the back room. It was lighter than the front room but had no lights on so Cedric knew that it was magic. She led him to a large mahogany desk.

"I'll need you to write her name and birth date please."

Cedric said nothing.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Well… the girl I'm buying for was adopted do you need her real name or the one she goes buy."

"The name she goes by will be fine. Be sure to include the middle name."

Cedric quickly wrote Hermione's name and birth date down on a piece of paper and handed it over to the woman.

"How many pendants or charms do you want?"

"Seventeen,"

"She recently had a birthday didn't she?"

"Yes but I got her something else."

"Well she will love this."

She took the paper laid it in a bowl then poured an unknown liquid on to it. She waved her wand over it seven times then lit a match and tossed it into the bowl. The paper and unknown liquid burned up into ashes. She waved her wand again and seventeen little balls of ash flew out of the bowl and over the desk and the charms and pendants that lay upon it. The balls of ash hovered for a few minutes and then zoomed to seventeen different spots on the desk.

"Now would you what type of chain do you want?"

"White gold,"

"Do you want all the charms to match?"

"Could I see them first?" Cedric asked.

"Sure."

The woman waved her wand and all seventeen of the charms zoomed on to a black velvet board. There were the obvious charms like her birth stone, the letters that made up her name.

"Would you like to tell me what you think the charms mean." The woman asked.

"The first row would be the letters for her name, her age, Patronus and her birth stone." Cedric said. "The row below that would represent her house at Hogwarts those could be yellow gold. The next row would be her interest then the last two rows would be her friends and family and her relationship with me. "

"Oh such a meaningful gift," the woman commented.

"Yes," Cedric replied.

"Would you like these wrapped?"

"Yes. I'd like a Yellow gold chain along with the white gold."

The woman just smiled and went to work wrapping up everything. Cedric handed her the money and she handed him the neatly wrapped package. He smiled and was out the door and to Diagon Alley before she could even blink.

Cedric dropped by the only stationary shop left open in Diagon Alley. The shop had gift bags and boxes. He went in for box for the charms and both chains and then a bag to put it in. He chose a box with a red and gold plaid pattern on it. The bag and tissue paper was the same.

He took them all home with him; where he placed the charms in the box himself and made it look like they were nestled into soft velvet. Once he was happy with the way everything looked he put the top of the box on wrapped it in tissue paper then placed it into the bag. Now that he had  
Hermione's Christmas gift (weeks in advance mind you) he tucked it under his bed until it was time for him to send it off to her unless she was coming home he hadn't asked her that yet. He probably should ask her before it gets too late.

Before he could even send a letter off to Hermione asking her she had sent him one. He smiled as he read what she had written. He would have to look up the muggle music artist that she mentioned and couldn't be surprised that she didn't really answer on her favorite thing about being a witch after all he couldn't choose his favorite thing about being a wizard there was too much to pick.

**_Hermione,_**

**_Thanks for the music suggestions. I'll have to look him up the next time I am in a muggle record store. I've passed by one on my way home from work. I went shop today and got something for you. I know Christmas is weeks away but I had to get it now or I would have forgotten. Do not worry it wasn't much in the way of money but in sentimental value I would say puts it through the roof._**

**_Since I mentioned Christmas would you tell me what you plan on doing?_**

**_Always, Cedric_**

**_HERMIONE Monday_**

Even with the late night she had the night before she was up before dawn the next morning because her body just didn't want to sleep any longer. She was the only one awake in her dorm. She slipped out of the dorm and out of the common room so she could use the Prefect's bathroom. She used one of the shower stalls instead of the large sunken tub that took up most of the room. The shower wasn't long because she knew that she would be getting dirty again in a few hours when she had Herbology.

She took her time and soon found herself back in the common room going over the Guthwich book (after retrieving it and her school bag from her dorm). She soon found that the obscure law wouldn't be helping her get Sirius's name cleared. But she did find out that she would never be able to transport a thousand pounds of watermelons by broom because if she wanted too she would spend three days in Azkaban. After reading up on that law Hermione thought that obscure should have been changed to pointless because she couldn't see anyone wanting to transport a thousand pounds of watermelons by broom.

"What are you reading?" Ginny asked. "Have you found anything?"

"Not unless you have a thousand pounds of watermelons that you want to move." Hermione replied. "But I'm not done with the book yet. I have two other chapters in it before I go and get another book."

"If anyone can find a way to get Sirius's name cleared it would be you." Ginny said. "After all you were working alone on finding out who your dad was last year with only the occasional help from me and the twins when you needed it."

"I'm not at that point yet." Hermione replied. "Right now I need to do this myself but you could go find another book like this one. I would do it myself but I have to patrol the halls tonight."

"Ahh Prefect duty come to call." Ginny said.

"I've only had to do them about once a month sometimes twice if another Prefect was sick." Hermione said. "I'm just glad that I haven't had to do them with Ron."

"Why?"

"Because he's been a little off since the team tryouts," Hermione said.

"Not like turning to the dark side off?" Ginny asked.

"No. It's like he's keeping a secret from us, even from Harry." Hermione replied. "It just seems odd you know."

"Maybe he has a secret girlfriend."

The two cracked up laughing.


	12. Chapter 12

Getting to Herbology was easy for Hermione. She hadn't even waited for Harry and Ron (they were taking too long getting ready) but she went down to breakfast without them and was halfway through when they arrived. Hermione was surprised that Harry had yet to tell Ron about his lesson with Dumbledore the night before.

"…but Dumbledore showed me those memories of Voldemort as a kid. I've seen what he looks like now and he looks evil but even back then he looked soulless." Harry said.

"That's a scary thought right there." Ron said. "The little boy You-Know-Who, but it still doesn't tell us why Dumbledore is showing all them to you. There has to be a point right, I don't think Dumbledore would show them to you just for giggles."

"Don't know." Harry said. "I don't think it will matter if it helps me survive Voldemort like Dumbledore says it will."

"I think that it's a good thing." Hermione told them. "I think it's obvious why he's showing you these too."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"He's showing you them so you could find Voldemort's weakness and defeat him." Hermione said.

"Did you go to Slughorn's latest party?" Harry asked.

"No I but honestly I forgot about it." Hermione said. "But Ginny told me that he fawned over McLaggen because he's connected and she also said that Gwenog Jones was there for a bit."

"Gwenog Jones?" Ron said. "Captain of the only all girls pro quadratic team Gwenog Jones?"

"Well yeah I guess so." Hermione said. "I don't really follow Quidditch outside of the house tournament here at Hogwarts."

"That's enough over there. Enough chit chat and get back to work." Professor Sprout said. "You are behind everyone else. Oh look Longbottom's got his first pod. Now come on work faster."

Hermione turned her head to look at Neville, he had scratches on his face but true to Sprout's word he was clutching a green pod –about the size of a grapefruit—in his hand.

"We are starting now Professor." Ron said waiting until she turned away from them. "You should have used Muffliato, Harry."

"No we don't." Hermione shouted. She didn't like them using those spells. They might be harmless or at least appear harmless no one knew why the half-blood prince created those spells and until they knew who the half-blood prince was they wouldn't have a single clue as to why they created them.

The trio gazed at the stump in front of them. After taking a deep breath they dived at it and at once it sprang into life, vine like limbs flew out of the top and started flying around. Hermione had one catch in her hair. Ron beat them back while Harry fought to tie a few of them together in a knot. They could now see a hole in the middle of the stump. The stump closed up and Ron and Harry had to rip the stump open again. Hermione ripped her arm free of the stump and in her hand was a pod that looked just like the one Neville had in his hand. The vines went back inside the stump and it looked normal once again.

"This plant will not be making an appearance in my garden whenever I get my own place." Ron told them as he whipped the sweat from his face.

"Give me the bowl please," Hermione said holding the pod away from her as far as she could. Harry pushed a bowl over and Hermione immediately dropped the pod into it looking like she was about to be sick.

"You can't be squeamish now; you still have to squeeze it all out." Professor Sprout told them. "They're always better when they're fresh."

Hermione gave her a smile and continued on working.

"Harry you know Slughorn's having a Christmas party and he's already asked me to check for your free nights so you won't be able to get out of it." Hermione told him. "I have to say I'm glad you can't get out of it."

Harry just groaned. He couldn't stand Slughorn and was not looking forward to the party but neither was Hermione. Ron however was not happy. He was no taking his anger out on the pod Hermione had retrieved from the stump.

"Let me guess the party is just for Slughorn's little club of favorites, is it?"

"Yes it is." Hermione replied.

The pod flew out from Ron's hand and hit the glass on the other side of the table. It bounced off the glass and hit Professor Sprout in the head. Harry apologized for Ron when he went to get the pod.

"I didn't come up with it." Hermione said.

"It's stupid really," Ron said. "I hope you enjoy the party. You could even hook up with McLaggen and you can be the Kind and Queen of the Slug Club."

"We were allowed to invite someone," Hermione replied. "I was going to bring you or at least ask you but since you think it's stupid I won't."

Hermione suddenly wished she hadn't mentioned the stupid Christmas party. Then she wouldn't have had to listen to Ron get mad or complain about it. She was only partly aware of Harry making as much noise as he could trying to get the pod to open. It was unfortunately for him that he couldn't and could probably still hear the argument that Hermione and Ron were still having.

"When were you going to ask me?" Ron said. "What about your boy friend?"

"Cedric's not a student he couldn't come even if I wanted him too, but I could still ask McLaggen if you want me to." Hermione replied.

The sound of Harry's pounding filling the air.

"No," Ron replied. "I…"

Ron didn't finish what he was going to say he just trailed off. Harry had chosen the moment to miss the pod and somehow break the bowl. He waved his wand and put the bowl back together. Hermione felt her cheeks grow read and grabbed her book for the class looking for the right way to juice the pod. Ron however looked oddly pleased.

_To juice the Snargaluff pod pierce it with something sharp. A sharpened knife or ice pick should work._

"Hand the pod over, Harry," Hermione told him when she finished reading it.

She took a knife from the work bench in front of her and set it aside and grabbed the bowl from Harry. She pierced the pod with the knife. Ron and Harry had gone back to work to retrieve another pod from the stump.

"Yes." Ron yells, pulling another pod from the stump.

Hermione had finally pierced the skin of the pod. The bowl was filled with things wiggling around like little green worms. Hermione didn't mention Slughorn's party the rest of the class. Hermione was confused about Ron's behavior over the next few days. He was a little more standoffish about toward her at least when Harry wasn't around.

She however had seen Harry begin to freak out that Katie Bell was still in St. Mungo's with no sign of leaving anytime soon. He only had gotten worse as the match against Slytherin grew closer. She watched as he cornered Dean Thomas after transfiguration. The class was nearly empty. The tweeting of the yellow birds she created during the class could be heard. Nobody else in the class had been able to get as far as her. Only a few of them had had even made a feather, the other didn't make a thing.

She waved her wand and made the birds disappear. She walked passed Harry talking with Dean about being chaser on the Gryffindor team. Hermione was only hoping to get through the book she had checked out days ago. She hadn't had much time to read it because of school work that he had to get done.

She went to the library to study and read the book on law. She was done with her latest potions essay and working on a Herbology diagram when someone walked up to the table she was using and sat down on the other side. She continued reading her book without bothering to look up and see who was sitting there. In fact she didn't look up from her book until they huffed in annoyance at her ignoring them.

"Do you need something Blaze?" she asked.

"Your family's muggle right?" he asked.

"Yes but I've recently found out that my natural father was a pure blood." Hermione replied.

"I didn't know that." He replied.

"It's fine. Not very many people know and of those who do only a few know who my father really is." Hermione said.

"Not Voldemort I hope?" Blaze joked.

"No. I don't think my mother would even get close enough to him for that to happen." Hermione said. "Do you need something because it seems kind of odd that you want to talk to me?"

"There is something I need but I'm not sure how to go about it."

"Is there anything illegal about it?" Hermione asked. "Because if there is then I will not be able to help you."

"No it's not illegal for the wizarding world or muggle world." He said. "I guess it's more a moral thing."

"What do you mean?"

He looked around the section they were in and saw no one. He even got up from his chair and went and looked behind the shelves making sure that no one was listening in on their conversation. He sat back down nervously running his fingers through his hair.

"Are you going to tell me what you mean?"

"I was making sure no one could hear me," He said. "I've been seeing a muggle girl. Very much like yourself actually."

"Did something happen?"

"Not like you think I'm sure but I'm afraid that something might happen because of who my father is and who he is connected too." Blaze said. "Only now things are going to change, I want to protect her but I don't think I can at least not without help."

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"She pregnant by me obviously. I'd marry her and her family wants us too but I can't do it because it will become a matter of ministry records and that will cause my dad to find out." Blaze said. "Once my dad finds out about everything –let's just say things will not be pretty."

"That's if it's a ministry wedding. If you get married as a _muggle_ they can't trace it." Hermione told him.

"Are you sure because I would figure that they would want to track any wizards that marry into muggles."

"Well they don't because of squibs." Hermione said. "Here read this."

_Marriage any were should not be entered lightly even more so in the world of wizards. Many marriage laws based on arranged marriages have been drafted but not a single one has been passed. The only laws related to marriages that have passed are ones that keep track of them so bigamy does not become a problem. _

_The first law was pass because of concern for the squib children of wizards. The law states that the ministry can only take note of their marriage if it results into magical children. Since the law does not state it's just for the squib children wizards find then selves using it too._

_Another way that wizards have found away to keep their marriages for the ministry archives is that they petition to get emancipated from their parents before they turn seventeen._

"So if I petition to have myself emancipated before May third I could marry my girl and the ministry couldn't track it."

"That's what the book says and it was published two years ago."

"How do I do that?" he asked.

"You have to request the forms from the ministry." Hermione said. "It would take a week for the papers to get to you but yes."

"What office do I write to?"

"Hold on a second." Hermione said. She quickly wrote down all the information Blaze needed and gave him the slip of parchment. "That paper has everything you need for what you want to do but you might want to brush up on protections spells so you can put them around the your girls home so she'll be protected even when you are not around."

"I've already started to plan. I figured after the baby is born we can go to America to get away from here." Blaze said. "But of course I have to finish school first."

"You should, but what about your girl?"

"She's home schooled and nearly done with everything. She should be done around May or June."

"That's good. I got to get going but I hope that information helps." Hermione said.

Blaze nodded and slipped the parchment into his pocket; pushed his chair away from the table got up and left Hermione there by herself. Hermione didn't remain there long. She packed up her back a few minutes later and made her way back to the common room before she went down to dinner that night.

Harry seemed off that night but Hermione's guess was that Quidditch practice had not gone all that well. He ate quietly as did Ron and really anyone from the Gryffindor team. Hermione felt like she was by herself. While she would normally talk with Ginny tonight she couldn't because she was busy with Dean at the moment. Hermione had finished eating long before anyone else had and left the great hall for the common room.

The common room was fuller than it was at the same time last year but there were tougher restrictions put in place now that Voldemort was out in the open. Hermione was scared like everyone else that he was out in the open but she couldn't bring herself to worry like they did. She had come to the conclusion that it was because she wasn't out fighting Voldemort but that if she had been.

She walked through the common room and up to her dorm. Her dorm mates were down in the common room or the great hall eating what was left for dinner. Hermione was thankful that she would have the dorm to herself for a little bit longer. He took her books out and laid them on her bed like she had them out on the table in the library. She quickly finished her Herbology diagram and got to work on her Ruins work and finished that within an hour. She was done with all her homework in the span of a few hours for the first time in weeks.

_One can apply for a new trial in a criminal matter for only twenty eight days after the judgment has been passed. This can be over looked by one of three ways._

**_(1)_**_ New evidence has come to light to prove the innocents of the guilty party._

_[1} Evidence should be available for testing._

**_(2)_**_ The guilty party's lawyer was proven to provide an incompetent council and did not provide the proper council in the matter of which they were charged._

_[1} Proof of said lawyer's negligence should be given_

**_(3)_**_ A New trial may be granted if a citizen's arrest was made.*_

_[1} The Citizen may not be another criminal with charges pending against them._

_[a]werewolves & and Giants (or an creatures like them) cannot make a citizen's arrest._

_[2} The Citizen must be of legal age and understand the laws_

_*Note that this law hasn't been used in years as the last Citizen's arrest was over a hundred years ago._

Hermione cheered in excitement when she finished reading the passage. She couldn't wait to tell Sirius and quickly wrote what she found down and went to send it off to him but it was too late and the front doors were closed for the night. So instead she placed it inside her book and put the book in her bag. She would go to the owlery before breakfast since she wouldn't be able to do it after wards because of the Quidditch match. She tucked herself in bed and fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow.

Hermione had woken up the next morning rather dazed by the dream she had. In the dream she was running through a filed in the middle of nowhere shouting stunning curses over her shoulder at someone she couldn't see behind her. No one she knew was running with her. It was just a bunch of faceless bodies running beside her.

She went to the Prefect bathroom to shower before going down to breakfast. The Quidditch match was a big one for Harry and she wanted to be there to support him and put her homework and research till after the match was done. She heard from Ginny that Ron's attitude had only gotten worse and didn't look like it wasn't going to get any better.

"Ginny, I'm sure Ron is just nervous about the match." Hermione told her. "I've got to get a shower."

Ginny walked away. Hermione felt bad at the tone she had used but she really wanted the shower. She got to breakfast ten minutes after all her friends. It was excitable like always. The two teams hissed and booed each other. The sky was clear and blue so they had good weather. The Gryffindor table was a mass of red and gold of their house colors instead of the gray and black of their school uniforms. Hermione took a seat next to Harry. Ron was on the other side of him ignoring Lavender's attempts at cheering him up.

She heard Harry offering him something to drink and looked over at them.

"How are two you?" Hermione asked Ron. "Fine I hope?"

When Ron did not answer she turned away and focused on pouring herself a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"I'm fine." Harry said passing Ron a goblet.

Hermione thought that she saw a glint of gold in Harry's hand as he passed Ron his own goblet of pumpkin juice but she couldn't be sure.

"Drink up Ron." Harry said as Hermione caught another glint of gold in his hand.

"Don't you dare take a drink out of that goblet Ron," Hermione said. "Harry how could you?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Ron asked.

Hermione stared at Harry the anger at him using something on Ron was clearly etched on her face.

"Harry put something in that. It's illegal." Hermione said.

"I did no such thing." Harry replied.

"I know what I saw, Harry. You put something into Ron's goblet." Hermione said. "The bottle is in your hand."

"I did nothing." Harry said stuffing his hand into his jacket pocket.

"Ron, don't you dare drink it!" Hermione said.

Ron drank from the goblet any way. "I can do what I want Hermione. I don't need you to tell me what to do."

"You should be expelled for doing that Harry." Hermione said so only Harry could hear her.

"You've got no room to talk, Hermione, Confunded anyone lately?" Harry asked.

Hermione gout up from her seat and walked away from Harry. She just couldn't believe that he would do that. It was wrong and dishonest and certainly not something she thought Harry would have been capable of.

"Almost time!" She heard Harry say as she walked away.

The grass crunched under her feet as she walked to the stadium by herself. She sat in section dominated by the Gryffindor house. Red and gold with spots of blue and yellow of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff houses. The teams were in the changing rooms getting ready as the stadium continued to fill with students. The other end was green and silver with spots of yellow and blue but not nearly as much as the Gryffindor side did.

Hermione made sure to get a great spot to watch the game from. It was halfway up the bleachers. It was close enough that she could see what was going on but far enough away so that she wouldn't get hurt. The weather was good so either team could win but Hermione's bet was on the Gryffindor team but she was a little bias about that.

Hermione was a little surprised when Lavender Brown sat down next to her without her best friend on the other side. Hermione could see her fighting in her seat through the corner of her eye.

"Do you need something?" Hermione finally asked.

"Um… I'm not sure," Lavender replied.

"Okay what made you come over here?" Hermione asked.

Lavender Brown looked around before whispering "Ron Weasley."

"What about him?"

"I like him."

"I think he likes you to." Hermione replied.

"There's nothing going between you two?" Lavender asked.

"No, never was." Hermione said. "Why did you think that?"

"You've been angry with him lately and…"

"I've got a boyfriend and it sure isn't Ron or anywhere being close to Ron Weasley."

"It must suck not having him near you." Lavender said.

"It does but he's doing something that he wants to do." Hermione said just before the Gryffindor team walked out.

The sea of red and gold that Hermione sat in roared with applause, Lavender among the loudest cheering for Ron. Luna Lovegood's support was for Gryffindor and could be heard in the form of her lion topped hat.

Hermione watched as Harry walked up to Madam Hooch, the referee and first year flying teacher. She stood by the create that held the balls and ordered the captains to shake hands. The two of them did. Madam Hooch then quickly ordered them to mount their brooms and counted to three before blowing her whistle. Everyone kicked off from the ground up into the air.

Harry stuck to the outside edge of the pitch keeping one eye out for the snitch and another eye out for the other team's seeker. It was the jarring sound of the new commentator's voice that had Hermione's attention going from Harry to the section set aside for teachers.

"And there they go and I know we are all quite surprised to see Ronald Weasley still on the Gryffindor team after his dismal performance last year but the close friend ship with the Captain does help out a little bit."

Hermione was seething. Ron didn't get on the team again because he was friends with Harry. He got on the team because of one well placed spell by her and his own talent. There right next to Professor McGonagall was Zacharias Smith, a boy from Hufflepuff that Hermione couldn't stand. She was surprised that she didn't recognize his voice.

Zacharias continued to give commentary on the match. Listening to him had Hermione whishing that Lee Jordon was back. She did cheer when Ron saved a goal. Lavender had cheered right along with her.

"Are you sure there was nothing ever going on between you two?" Lavender asked.

"Oh I'm sure."

"Not even in second year when you were petrified?"

"Oh yes, he was and is like a brother."

"Oh." Lavender replied.

Lavender quieted up after that and soon half an hour of the game had passed. Gryffindor had a lead of sixty to zero, Ron shocking them all by making some rather impressive saves and Ginny scoring four of their six goals. Since Ginny and Ron were performing well Zacharias started in on the two boys Harry chose as beaters. Zacharias was blatantly showing his support for the Slytherin team by coming down on Gryffindor so much.

She could see Harry yell something at one of the beaters –she couldn't be sure which—the player he had been speaking to seemed to respond and hit the bludger when it came near him. The dull _thunk_ sound told Hermione that the bludger had found its intended target was found, she smiled.

Even more good came for the Gryffindor team when at the other end of the pitch Gryffindor scored again and seemed to do it again and again as Ron saved a few more goals with ease.

"Oh look he's smiling."

The Gryffindor supporters cheered and soon broke out into their own version of "Weasley Is Our King." Ron's smile seemed to get even bigger. Harry's movement's faltered when he collided with another player. Harry said something to him. The player has zoomed away before Madam Hooch could turn around and see what was going on. The Gryffindors' had obviously shouted in anger at what happened but Harry had turned to chase after him.

"Harper is off I think the Slytherin seeker has spotted the snitch." Zacharias said to the crowed. "He's definitely spotted something Potter didn't catch. We'll have to wait and see if he'll get the snitch first."

There were more grumbles from the Gryffindor end. Zacharias was quite an idiot if he didn't see Harper and Harry collide. It didn't take long for Harry to spot the snitch and Zacharias was right Harper had spotted the snitch and went after it. Harry leaned forward on his broom and speed up. Hermione kept her eyes on Harry and soon drowned out the commentary given by Zacharias Smith.

"Oh come on Harry you can get it," She yelled.

Harper was still in front of him but Harry had to beat him or keep him from getting the snitch right now. She really hoped that Gryffindor won, she didn't want Harry to lose his first match as captain of the team. She saw Harry yell something at Harper but had no idea what it could have been. Harper had looked back and Harry and lost sight of the snitch. Harry took that opportunity flew after the snitch, swiped at the small golden ball when it flew back past him and snatched it into his fingers.

He held his hand up in triumph. He flew toward the ground with the snitch held high. Hermione cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors' when she realized Harry had caught the snitch. Madam Hooch blew her whistle telling everyone the game was over.

Hermione watch and one by one the Gryffindor team flew over to congratulate Harry the floated to the ground in a group hug. Well everyone but Ginny any way. Ginny had instead flown over to the commentator's podium –also now as the teachers section—and collided it with it. The rest of the Gryffindor team had finally settled to the ground. There were a few pieces of wood littering the ground Zacharias was dusting splinters off of his cloak.

McGonagall didn't look happy about the damage but was glad to see that her students were okay. Hermione rushed through the crowed trying to get down to the pitch so she could talk with Harry. She had to. If he put the liquid luck into Ron's drink Gryffindor shouldn't have played nor should they have won. She pushed through the crowed.

"Party in the common room," She heard someone yell as she pushed her way through the crowed.

She didn't find Harry on the pitch so she made her way into the Gryffindor changing room. Ron and Harry were about ready to leave when she walked in.

"I want to talk to you Harry, now." Hermione said. She took a deep breath and continued. "It was wrong what you did. If you don't turn yourself in I will."

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Harry said as he turned to hang up his robes.

"You know dang well what I'm talking about Harry," Hermione shouted at him. "You spiked Ron's pumpkin juice this morning with Felix Felicis at breakfast."

"I didn't do anything." Harry said.

He was now facing them.

"Yes you did, Harry, I saw you." Hermione said. "Ron saved everything, Malfoy not playing? Everything went to well."

"I didn't put anything in." Harry said the grin stretching across his face. He pulled a tiny little bottle from his pocket. It was still filled with a golden potion and sealed with a blood red wax. "I just wanted Ron to think I had put it in his juice. So I waited until I knew you were looking and faked it." He said turning toward Ron. "You saved everything because you thought that you were lucky but you did it all yourself."

Harry quickly slipped the potion back into his pocket.

"So there was nothing in my pumpkin juice?" Ron said. "But everything…" Ron then rounded on Hermione. "He didn't put it in there Hermione I can save goals myself without any help."

"I never said you couldn't." Hermione shouted. "And you thought you had been given it too!"

Ron however didn't stay to listen what she had to say and had already pushed past her and out of the changing rooms. His broom slung over his shoulders.

Harry had remained silent.

"Should we get up to that party, then?" Harry asked after awhile.

"You go by yourself." Hermione said. "I'm too tired to deal with Ron right now."

Hermione then turned on her heel and stomped out of the changing room. She walked up to the castle by herself. She had made it to the common room long before Harry did. She had gone to her dorm and quickly changed. When she came down Ron was in a corner of the room making out with Lavender. She was walking pass them toward Ginny when Ron stopped kissing Lavender.

But he only stopped to insult her. Hermione didn't reply to what he said and just ran from the common room. She huddled herself into an empty classroom. She sat on top of the teacher's desk and started creating birds again like she did in McGonagall's last class. She was only left alone for a few minutes. Harry walked in calling out her name.

"Hi, Harry," Hermione replied. "I was just practicing again. You know McGonagall says you can never practice enough."

"Yeah, they are really great," Harry said. "You've gotten farther than anyone in class but you usually do…"

He trailed off. Hermione had no idea what to say to him not that she wanted to say anything. She wondered if Ron had told him what he said to her.

"Ron was enjoying himself." Harry said after a while.

"I know. I saw him." Hermione replied.

"You did?" Harry asked.

"Yes and don't pretend you didn't." Hermione said. "He was where everyone could see him but I'm not mad because of that."

Harry didn't get a chance to respond. The classroom door burst open and to Hermione's dismay Ron had come tumbling in with a giggling Lavender Brown.

"Ooh." He said standing straighter when he saw Hermione and Harry.

"Sorry," Lavender said, she backed up out of the room, giggling. She made sure to close the door shut behind her.

The silence in the room was deafening. Hermione just stared at Ron, who refused to look anywhere but her.

"I wondered where you had gotten to Harry," Ron said.

Hermione slipped off of the desk. Her little flock of birds continued on twittering about above her, going around in circles.

"You really shouldn't leave Lavender waiting alone," She replied. "She'll likely wander off and find someone else to snog."

Then proudly Hermione walked to the door. When she got back to the door she turned to face Ron and Harry. Well more at Ron that Harry who was also looking at Ron. Without a second thought Hermione raised her wand and yelled, "Oppugno!"

Hermione's little flock of birds changed their flight patterns and dived toward Ron, who yelled and yelped as the birds started pecking him. He threw his arms up to protect his face but the birds continued to attack any and every bit of skin that was visible.

"GET them OFF me!" Ron yelled.

Hermione didn't removed the birds until she was safely in her dorm and tucked in her bed with a book on her bedside table. She didn't want to talk to anyone. What Ron said was hurtful and cruel and he was lucky she didn't curse another part of his anatomy. She was pretending to be sleeping at midnight when Lavender and her friend came into the room complaining about what Hermione had done to Ron. Hermione couldn't believe that Lavender could still be so into Ron after what he said to her.

"…_you probably aren't even dating Cedric. I don't think he'd want some stuck up rule Nazi like you. IT's just a lie you made up. After all you think I can't keep the goal on my own." _

Hermione burrowed herself deeper into her bed pulling the covers over her head. It didn't take long for the tears to start to fall. Hermione soon cried herself asleep. Her dreams were not he happy ones he had in the nights before minus the one she had of shooting curses over her shoulder. They were more depressing than scary. Cedric saying he didn't want her.


	13. Chapter 13

It didn't take long for Christmas to come barreling down on them. The windows were icy and the trees were in the great hall and tinsel and garlands were tied to the banisters of the staircases. It didn't take long for girls to huddle under the mistletoe as Harry passed. Much to Hermione's pleasure Harry knew how to get around the blockages. Hermione found it bothersome while Ron thought it was funny and laughed about it more often than not. The only thing that Hermione didn't like about Ron's happy attitude was the appearance of one Lavender Brown all the time.

"She can't complain," Ron told Harry. "She's snogged Krum and Cedric. It's a free country and there is nothing that I have done wrong."

"You know what Ron I can complain because I didn't snog Krum or Cedric for minutes on end in front of the whole dang common room." Hermione turned on her heel and stomped off after that.

She was glad that her schedule was so full that she hardly had any time to talk to Ron; which in turn meant she had no time for Harry (and that she felt bad about because he did nothing to her). Because Ron and Lavender had taken root in the common room for the snogging sessions Hermione retreated to the dark stacks of the library.

Most of her conversations with Harry were held in hushed whispers because they were in the library and to keep her voice down she took her anger out on the parchment she was using to do her homework.

"Listen Harry you need to be careful." Hermione told him.

"What do I need to be careful for the only one out to…"

"I wasn't talking about Voldemort Harry." Hermione snapped. "I'm talking about all the girls fawning over you. I heard some of them plotting on how to slip you a love potion. Romilda Vane was one of them." She added. "And they were all hoping you would choose them as your date to Slughorn's Christmas party and they all seem to have bought Fred and George's love potions which will likely work."

"Then why didn't you take them from them?" Harry asked.

"I would have but they didn't have the bottles with them." She replied. "They were just talking about how they would go about slipping it to you and I doubt…" she looked heatedly at Harry's potions book. "Would have a dozen or so different antidotes to all the different love potions, the party is tomorrow and they are getting desperate. I say you just ask someone and put them all out of their misery."

"There isn't any one I'd want to invite," Harry mumbled.

"Just be careful, they all looked like they meant business, especially Romilda Vane." Hermione told him. "I don't want them to take advantage of you."

Hermione continued to write her latest essay for her Arithmacy class, her quill making scratches against the parchment as she worked. She continued to watch him from the corner of her eye. He may have been talking to her but he still seemed like a mile away.

"I thought Filch banned all Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products?" He asked out of nowhere.

"He did but when has anyone ever paid attention to what Filch doesn't want in the school? They don't and they still get the banned products in the school."

"All the owls are being searched, coming and going. So how can all those girls be able to get the love potion inside the school?" Harry asked.

"Fred and George disguised them as anything that would be proved to go through." Hermione said. "They offer it with their owl service."

"You seem to know a lot about it."

Hermione gave him a dirty look worthy of the potions book.

"It was on the back of the boxes and bottles that they showed Ginny and I in the summer." She said. "I'm not the type of person that goes around putting or pretending to dose someone's drink."

"Yeah, well, whatever," Harry replied. "The point is that Filch is being fooled and can be fooled. If these girls are able to get love potions in disguised as medicine or something else what's to say that Malfoy isn't doing the same thing."

"Harry please not that thing again." Hermione groaned.

"Why not? It is a completely plausible idea."

"Harry," Hermione said. "The Secrecy Sensors detect jinxes, curses, and concealment charms. They are used to find dark magic and objects, that necklace that hurt Katie would have been found in mere seconds. Something that isn't dark and simply put in a wrong bottle or labeled differently wouldn't be detected. I mean they aren't exactly dangerous are they?"

"Not dangerous for you that is." Harry replied.

"They could be. A stalker could slip it to a drink of mine and make me fall for him and hold me captive for a time." Hermione said. "But that is a worst case scen…"

Hermione trailed off and Harry froze. Someone was walking along the library stacks. They waited, and a few second later Madam Pince appeared around the corner of the shelf blocking them the view of others.

"The library is closed now." She said. "You need to leave. Please put the books back to where you got them fr—what did you do to that book, you've defaced library property."

"It doesn't belong to the library. It's mine." Harry replied snatching the book off the table and away from Madam Pince's claw like hands.

Madam Pince did not like what harry had to say. She started to yell at him.

"Oh come on, the book has just been written on." Harry said.

Hermione started to pack her things as Madam Pince looked like she was about to have a seizure. She grabbed by the arm and dragged him away from the library.

"She will ban you from the library if she sees that book again. Not to mention she'll take it from you."

"It's not my fault she's mad, Hermione, she could have been mad for what we were saying about Filch. I know I'm not the only one to think that there was something between them."

Hermione let out a sarcastic laugh.

"I doubt that there's anything going on. For all we know they could be cousins or some other kind of family." She told Harry.

He just looked at her oddly and the continued to try and make his point until they made it to the Fat Lady's portrait. He gave the password (Baubles) which was changed to reflect the festive season.

The Fat Lady giggled as she swung forward. She apparently hit the wine a little early this year but who could blame her with Voldemort running around. Hermione got through the portrait hole in time to see Romilda Vane talking to Harry.

Hermione grabbed his arm. "Harry we still need to go over your essay."

"Oh sorry Romilda I don't like that stuff much."

"Then take these." She said throwing a box into his hands. "They have fire whiskey in them and I can't stand that stuff."

"Oh—thanks I guess." Harry mumbled.

"Told you so." Hermione whispered when they reached an open table. "The sooner you ask someone to Slughorn's party the sooner it will stop. So just ask someone to be your date."

Hermione trailed off. She had spotted Ron and Lavender sharing the same chair, their faces looking like they were permanently glued to each other.

"Umm… Good night Harry. I'll help you tomorrow morning." She mumbled to him before she rushed over to the staircase that led to the girl's dorms.

Hermione had gone to bed comforting herself by running through her mind that there was only one day off lessons left before the term finally ended, but then she had Slughorn's party which she would rather not attended but really had no way to get out of it.

Transfiguration was tiring. They had been given the task of changing the color of their eye brows. Hermione tried to keep herself from laughing at Ron's attempts. In one incident he had grown a large handlebar moustache.

Ron had gotten back at her by doing an impression of her trying to answer a question that Professor McGonagall had asked. Lavender and her friends found this impression to be highly amusing. Once the bell had gone off signaling the end of the class, Hermione ran out of the room into a bathroom and left most of her stuff back in the classroom in the process. She left the bathroom once she had calmed herself down and went to collect the rest of her things.

"Here you are." Harry said walking up with Luna Lovegood.

He handed her books and other things over to her.

"Oh… um… Thank you." Hermione said whipping a few stray tears away. She grabbed the books. "Thanks again Harry. I better get to class."

Hermione had rushed off in the other direction leaving Harry and Luna behind her. She could hear the talking but couldn't understand what they were saying. She made it to class with minutes to spare but no energy to talk to anyone.

"You all right?" Blaze asked.

"I'm fine. My last class wasn't all that great." She replied. "Did that information help you at all?"

"I'm just waiting on the paperwork to come. Everything just seems to take longer than I thought it would." He said.

"I'm guessing that has something to do with Voldemort being out in the open now." She told him. "What about your girl how is she doing?"

"Fine I guess. I haven't heard from her in a few days."

"And that worries you?"

"Yes, I write her just about every day but her parents don't know about me so I try to keep the letters to times when her parents aren't home or are asleep so she doesn't have to explain why owls are dropping off letters."

Class went much the same. Hermione and Blaze were now working on their own now that Amelia had been pulled from class the previous week. When class was over Hermione went to the great hall for dinner. She was finished and about to leave when she overheard Parvati.

"Oh hi Hermione," Parvati greeted.

Parvati seemed too beamed at her. Hermione could tell she felt guilty for laughing at her earlier. Hermione smiled back at her in a smile that seemed brighter than Parvati's own. Ron and Harry rolled their eyes.

"Hi, "Parvati!" Hermione said. "Will I be seeing you at Slughorn's party tonight at all?"

"I didn't get invited." Parvati replied. "It would be nice to go. I've heard the rumors about it and it sounds like it's going to be a really nice party. Are you going?"

"Yes, I'm still not sure who I'm going to take." Hermione said. "There are so many people that want to go but I know I don't want to take someone that would ruin the party."

"You don't have a date?" Parvati asked.

"No but I wouldn't even call taking someone to the party a date. I'm not dating them and I can't bring Cedric so it'll have to be someone that's a friend and make the party somewhat enjoyable."

"I can't say I blame you. The Yule Ball was rather boring until I was asked to dance by that friend of Victor Krum's."

"Oh I know how you feel. I felt like that at the small parties my muggle school had before I got my Hogwarts letter." Hermione told. "Oh look at the time I have to go get ready for the party you could come help me out if you want."

Parvati looked torn she wanted to help Hermione but Lavender was her best friend.

"Maybe later I have to talk to lavender about something."

"That's okay." Hermione said.

She waved goodbye to everyone walked out of the great hall. She made it to her dorm and dumped her things onto her bed and then grabbed her bathroom bag and the things she would be wearing that night and went to clean up for the party. The whole process of cleaning up only took an hour after all Hermione wasn't one to make a fuss over any and everything.

Hermione paused in front of the mirror in her red dress. It was the same dress she had worn to the Yule ball but charmed to a different color. Her earrings were simple silver studs. Her hair was as frizzy as it normally was just pulled back in a bun tied with a red ribbon. She made her way out of the bathroom and up to the dorm room to drop her things off she was exiting the common room to head to the party when she bumped into someone.

"Oh hey where is the fire?"

"Cedric what are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"I've got some time off and the Muggle School has been let out until the New Year." he said. "I got permission from Dumbledore to come see you."

"Would you come to the party?" Hermione asked. "You can see Harry too; I heard he's bringing Luna."

"Lovegood I thought he would bring Ginny."

"I think he wanted to but she's dating Dean and is taking him to the party." Hermione replied. "I have a feeling that it hasn't hit him with how much he likes her yet."

"I'm surprised her brothers haven't picked up on it."

"Well Harry is pretty good at hiding his emotions." Hermione said. "This is Slughorn's office."

Cedric led Hermione into Slughorn's office. The party was in the office which was decorated to look like they were in a tent made of red, gold and green fabric. A large gold lamp dangled from the center of the room casting golden glow over the whole room. There was a group of people singing in a corner of the room along with a few people playing mandolins. There was a group of older people that looked like they were smoking from a couple of pipes. It was safe to say that the party was already in full swing.

It however was something much shorter than that group that made Hermione a little disappointed. There were a couple of house elves running around the room serving people.

"Ms. Granger it's good to see you and who is this fine gentleman?" Slughorn boomed.

"This is Cedric Diggory." Hermione replied.

"I recognize the name but he's not one of my students." Slughorn said.

"That would because he's no longer a student here at Hogwarts. He finished last year."

"Oh well glad to have you here," Slughorn said. "I'll come find you when I figure out where I know your name from."

"That's a first." Hermione said once she and Cedric got away from Slughorn. "He almost always remembers the name of someone famous."

"I'm not exactly famous now am I?" Cedric asked.

"You survived being in the immediate area of Voldemort you are famous. While you aren't on the same level as Harry you are still famous."

"I'd rather not be."

"And so would Harry."

"Yeah I have a feeling neither of us would be getting privacy anytime soon." Cedric said grabbing two drinks off a passing tray. "But I'm sure that I got more that he does."

"Reporters haven't been bugging you have they?"

"No they haven't. I haven't really been paying attention unless I got the feeling I was in danger but I haven't."

"You should be on the lookout no matter what."

"I am for death eaters but reporters not so much."

"They could be both." Hermione said. "And no matter what you should be on the lookout."

"Hermione I'm fine and I keep my wand on me at all times." Cedric said. "And I always have it up my sleeve when I'm walking. It's never off my person unless I'm in the shower and even then it's lying on a shelf inside the shower but enough talk about that let's have some fun. I think I saw Harry come in."

Cedric had pointed to the door and sure enough a few seconds later Hermione spotted Harry pushing through the crowed toward them. He even called her name a few times he was also dragging Luna along behind him."

"Over here Harry."

"I'm so glad that I found you." Harry said. "Hey Cedric I didn't know you'd be here."

"I just came to see Hermione and she dragged me here."

"I didn't have to drag you. You came with me willingly."

"Yeah I have no response for that." Cedric said.

"Most people wouldn't." Luna said. "It's nice to see you again Cedric,"

"Nice to see you Luna,"

"Oh no McLaggen's making his way over." Hermione said.

"What's your problem with him?" Cedric asked.

"He keeps bugging Harry about giving him another go at getting on the team." Hermione said. "And he seems to hit on me every chance he gets even thought I have said I'm with you."

"I've seen it Cedric and I'm surprised that she hasn't decked him like she did Malfoy our third year."

"Well he hasn't used the 'M' word yet." Hermione replied.

"Hermione it's good to see you would you care for a dance?" McLaggen asked.

"No thank you." Hermione replied.

"One dance won't hurt," he replied.

"I said no thank you and I don't think my boyfriend would take too kindly to that either."

"I don't see any boyfriend."

"He's standing right behind me." Hermione snapped.

"Cedric Diggory, you would know me as Hermione's boyfriend." Cedric said sticking his hand out for McLaggen to shake.

"I guess I'll have to wait until you are free."

"I don't think I'll be free anytime soon." Hermione told him turning her attention back to the group effectively pushing McLaggen away.

"Nice job there." Cedric murmured.

"Thanks." Hermione replied. "He was getting kind of creepy."

"You let me know if he becomes a problem."

"Actually I'll let McGonagall know she's our house leader after all."

"Good but tell me too." Cedric said. "I'd like to know if something was going on with you or not."

"I know, and you should do the same."

"Of course,"

"Hey were did Harry go?" Hermione said. "He was just here?"

"He probably left to get some air a lot of people here tonight want to see the famous Harry Potter up close." Cedric told her.

"You are probably right about that." Hermione said. "Will you go look for him? I'll stay here with Luna."

"Sure but come find me if you want to leave." He said. "And please don't leave the party without me."

Cedric left Hermione standing there with a kiss on the head from him.

"He's a good one you know." Luna said.

"I know I am very lucky to have him."

"He loves you."

Hermione had no idea what to say. She just stared at Luna.

"I can see it in his eyes. There is something there that isn't it most eyes I see." She said. "But then again most people don't like looking me in the eyes because they think I'm weird."

"Whether you are weird or not it works for you." Hermione replied. "You should never change a thing."

"Hermione nice to see you here." McLaggen said.

"Nice to see you to,"

"Would you like to dance?"

"No thank you." Hermione said. "I'm only waiting for my boy friend and Harry to get back so I can say goodbye and head to bed. I only wanted to make a short appearance at the party and if you don't mind I'd like to continue my conversation with Luna."

McLaggen had nothing to say to Hermione after that. He just mumbled something Hermione couldn't understand and walked way. Hermione held in the urge to burst out laughing with great effort. She continued to talk with Luna to past time while she waited for Cedric to come back with Harry.

They did come back a few minutes later talking heatedly about something.

"Just hold of Harry I'm telling you that you could be wrong." Cedric said.

"Fine," Harry grumbled. "Are you guys done here?"

"I am. I hadn't planned on staying that long. Plus McLaggen's already asked me to dance. Who knows when he's going to ask me again."

"Then let's go. I have to leave the castle soon anyway."

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Yep. Rules set by Dumbledore. I have a room at Three Broom Stick but I will also be allowed on the Express with you guys tomorrow. Unless you want to leave by portkey or Flew powder."

"No I'll stick with the train. It will give me time to hand out gifts to a few that I won't be seeing over the holidays."

"Why not use owls?" Cedric asked.

"I prefer to hand my gifts to the person but I'll send them by owl if I have to."

The trio and their various friends made the trip into Hogesmeade with a small bag of belonging for the winter break. Some were talking lively about what they would be doing when they got home, some were much mellower because they were worried about what it would be like when they got home. Hermione was one of them but she was excited that she could tell Sirius about the information she found that could help clear his name.

"Hermione over here."

"Cedric," Hermione called heading toward him.

"You are still riding the train right?"

"Yeah this bag is all I needed." He said.

"Oh."

"I used the undetectable extension charm on it." He replied.

"I've read about that but I haven't attempted it yet."

"You should try it on a bag you really don't care for first." He said. "I ruined a good one on my first try."

"I guess that happens to the best of us some times." She told him.

"Hermione Cedric come on we can board the train now." Harry called over.

Cedric grabbed Hermione's hand and walked over to the train. He helped her on to the train and helped a few other girls on before he climbed on to the train himself. He walked down the corridor looking for Hermione. He found her in one of the last compartments. He slipped into the compartment and sat down next to her.

"You good?" he asked.

"Yeah, Can't wait to get home." She said.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and I have found something I think can help Sirius clear his name."

"That's good." Cedric replied.

There was a knock on the window.

"Can we join you?"

It was Ron along with Lavender.

"Yes it's a free country," Hermione said. "Where's Harry?"

"Talking with someone from the team, I didn't bother to stay. If it's important he'll tell me later." Ron replied.

"It wasn't Ginny was it?" Hermione asked.

"No. Ginny was with Dean and some of his and her friends." He said. "There was a bunch of squealing girls in the compartment so I didn't bother looking."

"I'll tell Ginny that's the way she can keep you out o her room. Make it sound like a bunch of girls are squealing." Lavender said snickering.

"I'd have to agree Lavender." Hermione replied. "I have to say that I'm surprised that Ron's Bogart doesn't turn into a bunch of screaming girls."

"What is your Bogart?" Lavender asked Ron.

"Giant Spider," Ron replied the tips of his ears turning red.

"Can't be worse than my original Bogart, up until I was thirteen it was my aunt Greta."

"Why were you afraid of her?" Ron asked.

"I saw her kill a chicken for dinner when I was five and freaked." Cedric replied. "I didn't eat anything other than fruit and vegetables for weeks after that."

"Which is why you hardly eat them now," Hermione told him.

"Of course it is." Cedric said.


	14. Chapter 14

**THE REVIEW**

_I love Hermione and Cedric as a couple. Will they get married soon?_

_There's a few things I want to say and I hope you won't be offended by them._

_First, Sirius Black's brother's name is spelled Regulus not Regulaus._

_Second, Hermione was acting like Ron's jealous girlfriend but she's with_

_Cedric, so she shouldn't care what Ron does or with who._

**MY REPLY**

_I love Hermione and Cedric together also._

_I get the Regulus is spelled wrong at first. I have gone back and fixed them._

_Hermione is not jealous of Ron's relationship in the way that you think. She's jealous because he's able to be with the one he wants to be with and she can't be with Cedric._

* * *

"So are you sure he is my uncle? That he's not someone pretending to be?" Hermione asked.

"Yes I am sure." Sirius said. "He knows things that other wouldn't know and the hand writing matches up."

"I was only checking," Hermione said. She was standing at the sink washing dishes that she had just eaten from that morning. "You've already had enough trouble you don't need anymore." _I just got you._

"I get that, Hermione I really do."Sirius said. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm a grown man and I am a trained aurora, I can protect myself."

"You may have been trained but that was how many years ago?"

"I've never lost my touch Hermione." Sirius said.

"You… never mind I am going to pack before I go over to the Weasley's."

"Hermione," Sirius called after her.

Hermione didn't turn around to face him she just kept on walking. She had made it up to her room while Sirius stayed down in the kitchen looking forlorn at having fought over something worth so little to either of them. Knowing the both of them would protect all their friends as much as they could even if it was with their lives. She had almost finished packing her bag when Sirius walked up to her door and knocked.

Hermione sighed and turned away from her bag toward the door. She just looked at the door but finally walked over and opened it. She turned her back toward Sirius as she finished her packing her bag.

"Look dad I'm seventeen and adult by wizarding standards. I just found you last year. I don't want to lose you this year or at all."

"I get that Hermione I do because I lost you once but I don't want to lose you again." He said. "You are my daughter and probably the only child I will ever have because I don't see myself meeting someone like your mom again."

"You have Harry to." Hermione replied.

"Yes I do but that's not the same." He said. "I don't have the biological connection to Harry that I do you nor does he to me. He'd rather have his father back."

"Of course he does just like I'd wish I had my mother back." Hermione replied.

"What about your father? The one who raised you, would you want him back?"

"I'm not sure how to answer that question. I know I wouldn't want him dead but I wouldn't want him to replace you even if he was still married to my mom." She said. "A step dad if you will instead of a father like he was."

"I get that I honestly do." He said. "You don't want anyone dead. You want those he should be alive to be living and those that –well those like Voldemort—who you feel like they shouldn't be living but then feel guilty for thinking that because you are not a killer."

"No I'm not and I hope I never will be." Hermione replied.

"Sirius, you've just got an owl."

"I'm in Hermione's room."

"Here," Regulus said handing over the letter.

Sirius opened the letter and read it to himself. His lips formed the words as he read them.

"What is it? Has anything happened?" Hermione asked.

"No, nothing is wrong." He said. "Molly was just wondering if I would be willing to hold Christmas dinner here tomorrow."

"I'm guessing you don't want to?"

"I'd be fine but with Regulus here it would create some problems."

"Sirius I can leave for a few hours tomorrow if you want me to." Regulus said. "That or I could hide in my room."

"No we need to tell them about you any how Regulus." Sirius said. "We've kept you a secret for months now. They should know."

"I'm fine with that but I'm guessing your worried about old voldie finding out."

"Of course I'm worried; you should have been dead by years ago when you did what you did."

"But I'm alive now and we don't know what everyone else knows. I could help fight and I will but the ones on our side need to know that I'm alive."

"Fine but I only want Molly and Arthur first. It's their decision if they want their underage kids to know or not."

"What about Harry?" Hermione asked. "He'll be seventeen come July he'll want to know if his _'god' _uncle is alive. You should have them come over tonight. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to tell them."

"I'll send them an owl and see what they say. Keep your things here it looks like Christmas will be here this year." Sirius said. "Better to get it over with quickly."

An hour later Molly and Arthur Weasley (along with Harry) were sitting in the in the kitchen waiting for the news that Sirius said he had for them.

"Well Sirius we've been sitting here for ten minutes and you have yet to say anything." Molly said.

"Sorry I'm just trying to figure out how to say it."

"Why don't you show them, it might be easier that way." Hermione said.

"Yeah uh… why don't you—"

He trailed off.

"I'll be right back." Hermione said. She left the kitchen and went to the drawing room where Regulus had been waiting. "Sirius wants you to come down stairs."

Regulus followed her without a word. He had no other options right now and could only hope that they accepted that he was alive and on their side now.

"_See what I wanted to tell you was that um… a few months ago while I was in America I made a rather big discovery by accident really."_

"_What did you find out Sirius?" Harry asked._

"_I think it's better if I showed you." Sirus said. "Hermione."_

"Go." Hermione said pushing Regulus toward the door.

Regulus opened the door and walked into the kitchen. Hermione followed him.

"Sirius who is that man?" Molly asked.

"That man as you called him Molly is my brother." Sirius said.

"But the tapestry said he was dead,"

"Yes it did but I don't know why." He said. "It's changed now; the date of death is no longer on there."

"He was a supporter of Voldemort, why is he here now?" Harry asked.

"The key word there was. I'm not no more. I guess I was severely injured defying Voldemort. No matter how many potions I take my memory is fuzzy but Kreacher tells me that I defied Voldemort."

"How do you know he's telling the truth?" Harry asked with Arthur and Molly looking like they were seconds behind him.

"House Elves can't lie to their masters, Harry any questions that Regulus and Sirius ask him will be answered truthfully." Hermione said.

And before anyone could do a thing or say a thing to Regulus. The man in question called for the house elf. The house elf appeared with no problem behind the man.

"Yes master Regulus?" the house elf greeted.

"I'd like you to tell these people what I asked you about the time I disappeared."

"Yes master." Kreacher

"You can start now."

"Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see me a year after he joined up with the Dark Lord. He told me the Dark Lord was in need of an elf's assistance." Kreacher said rocking back and forth on his feet.

"What did he need an elf for?" Harry asked.

"Yes he need on and Master Regulus volunteered Kreacher for the job. It was an honor. So a few nights later Kreacher left with the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord didn't speak to Kreacher but he took Kreacher to a cave beside the sea. The cave led to a cavern that held a black lake. There was a boat you had to u-us-use to get across the lake."

Kreacher had stopped talking and continued to sob.

"Kreacher it's all right you can tell rest."

"The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink a basin full of an awful potion. The potion made Kreacher see terrible things and his insides burn. Kreacher cried out for Master Regulus and Mistress Black but the Dark Lord just laughed."

"What happened after that?"

"He dropped a locket in and filled the basin with more potion. Kreacher needed water but dead things came at him when he tried to drink from the lake and dragged Kreacher under the water."

"How'd you get away?" Molly asked.

Kreacher looked dead straight at Mrs. Weasley and answered. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to come home."

The kitchen was silent after that.

"You may go back to your room." Regulus said.

Kreacher left and so did the Weasley's and Harry with the notion that Christmas dinner would be held at Grimmauld Place tomorrow.

The rest of the night was spent cleaning the kitchen to make it worthy of a Christmas dinner. Hermione had fallen asleep on the new drawing room couch with a book and was carried back to her room by Sirius.

Hermione woke up the next morning to a pile of presents at the end of her bed. She crawled over to them and opened them up one by one. The first was the Weasley sweater from Mrs. Weasley. The second was an expensive looking quill and ink well set from Fred and George. A book from Ginny and another two from Sirius and Remus. Specialty parchment from Harry and a box of chocolate frogs from Ron but there was nothing from Cedric which greatly disappointed her.

Even with her disappointment of not getting a gift from Cedric Hermione got up and went about her day and made sure everything was okay for dinner that night. Sirius was nervous and so was Regulaus and Remus was calm.

With Sirius permission Hermione decorated the kitchen in Christmas different colors. With the cleaning that they did the night before and the decorations the kitchen was looking much better than when Molly had cleaned it the year before.

"I've just gotten an owl. The Weasley's will be trickling in within the next hour." Sirius said.

"Who's coming over first?" Hermione asked.

"Arthur will because Molly wants to make sure she has everything and that everyone gets over okay." Sirius said. "But that's a lot of stuff to worry about including people so I can't say I blame her."

"They are coming through the fire place right?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. It was easier that way." Sirius said. "I won't have to deal with my mother's portrait going off when they come through the front door."

"It has been quite peaceful without her screeching about Mudblood and filth."

"Well you are not muggleborn anymore and you're her granddaughter."

"Granddaughter or not she would still see me as having dirty blood." Hermione told him. "I'm going to do some school work before everyone gets here. Let me know when they do."

Hermione left Sirius standing there. She hadn't wanted to stay there after what she had said because she was worried about what he would say to her.

"Hermione the Weasley's are here." Sirius said through her door a few minutes later.

Hermione went down to the kitchen and greeted everyone. They were talking animatedly while Mrs. Weasley danced around the kitchen fixing dinner and refusing the help that anyone offered.

The wireless was playing music from Mrs. Weasley's favorite singer, no one other that Mrs. Weasley seemed to like her but they all dealt with it since she was the one cooking the meal. Mrs. Weasley sang along to the final lines of the song. She turned to Mr. Weasley and asked.

"Don't you remember, we danced to this we were eighteen?" The smile reached her eyes.

"Oh yes of course I do." Mr. Weasley mumbled. "Marvelous tune…" He sat up a little straighter smoothing the paper out in front of him. He looked around at the kids. "Sorry, it'll be over soon."

Most of them smartly answered that it was no problem.

"Hermione why don't you and the rest of the kids go to the drawing room." Sirius said. "We'll call you down for dinner."

"What about?"

"I'll help you explain." Harry said. "Let's get out of the kitchen. We can talk about things we wouldn't want our parents to hear."

"That's quite all right dear." Mrs. Weasley said. "Just don't get yourselves in trouble."

"Mrs. Weasley trouble finds us we don't find it well maybe Fred and George do but that's part of them."

"Of course it is." The twins answered in unison. "If we had it our way our middle name would be trouble."

Hermione and Harry led the group up to the drawing room where Regulus was hiding out. They said nothing as the pushed the door opened.

"Harry who is that man?" Ginny asked.

"That is Regulaus Black." Harry said. "Sirius's brother and Hermione's uncle."

"But he's dead." Fred said. He was gripping his wand tightly.

"Well clearly I'm not." Regulaus said. "And I'm pretty sure that I would bleed red if you cut me so—"

He didn't finish what he had to say he just trailed off and let everyone else think about what he might have said.

"Just leave him along guys what has you all so cheerful this morning and I know it's not the Christmas Sweaters your mum gave you." Hermione said.

"Percy came by." Fred said. "But he wasn't alone."

"What did he have a girlfriend?"

"Percy no, It was someone much more important that any girl Percy might be interested in." George said. "But interesting all the same but he left in a huff of course."

"Who left in a huff?" Hermione asked. "Percy or the person he came with?"

"I would say it was both." Harry replied.

"What do you mean?"

"It was the minister of magic that came by the Weasley place last night at dinner. He want me to basically act as the ministry's puppet boy and I told him I wasn't and that I was Dumbledore's man."

"Let me guess he didn't like that and left in a huff as you put it."

"That would be right."

"What happen with Percy?"

"That would be for Fred, George, and Ginny to explain."

"What about Ron?"

"Oh he would have been a part of it but he wasn't and you will understand why once they tell the story." Harry said smirking.

"Will someone tell me what happen?" Hermione asked.

"Well as you know Percy came home. Mum was of course excited that he was home but he wasn't home to stay and Mum of course was upset about that and my siblings and I didn't take to kindly to that so we all flung some sort of food at him." Fred explained. "He ran out just as Harry had come back in."

"Sounds like you guys had fun." Hermione replied. "Did you get into trouble?"

"No because we told Mum we were trying to hit Ron." George said. "I'm surprised she believed it."

"I don't think she did I think she was just too tired and worn out to deal with it."

"I have to get something from my room. Come get me when dinner's done." Hermione said a few minutes later. She hadn't said anything in awhile and honestly just wanted to be alone. She had been a little more than disappointed when Cedric hadn't sent her a gift that morning.

Twenty minutes later Hermione was sitting with the Weasley's, her dad, Remus, Regulaus and Harry but she wasn't all that happy to be among them at the moment but she was a good actor and put on a happy face for them all. And for three hours she sat there pretending to be happy and not a single one of them picked up on it.

"Well maybe Sirius but she couldn't see his face to see if he picked up on it or not. Well everyone already seems like they are about to fall asleep so I guess it's time to head home and or up to bed." Mrs. Weasley said after she had seen her children yawn several times.

Hermione mumbled goodbyes and goodnights to everyone and went back up to her room. She changed into her night clothes and went to sleep. She didn't get to sleep long. She was woken up a few hours later by someone knocking on her door and calling her name. She groaned, rolled over, and climbed out of bed so she could answer the door.

"What?" she asked.

"I wanted to see you."

"It's kind of late don't you think?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah it is and I'm sorry about that."

"I haven't heard from you all day. You were supposed to at least stop by." She said. "And you didn't. Dinner's been over for hours now and I haven't heard from you."

"I know and I'm sorry about that and I couldn't come over without this." He said holding out a box wrapped up in fancy paper.

"A bit flashy for you."

"My mom," he said. "Are you going to open it? We can go to the drawing room to sit down while you open it. I promised your dad I would leave after you opened it."

"I'll open it here. Just leave the door open for his sake." Hermione replied.

Hermione went back to her bed and started to pull the flashy paper off. Once the paper was off she took the lid off the box and looked at the gift that lay inside.

"You don't hate it do you?" he asked.

"No I don't hate it. I could never hate it." She replied. "But how?

"I went to this shop that I thought was a muggle store but it's actually both. The lady preformed a spell and used a potion and those fifteen charms are the ones that came together when I'm done."

"They're beautiful thank you." She said. "I love them Cedric."

_**AUTHORS NOTE:**_

**THE CHARMS GIVEN TO HERMIONE:**

**A large black dog for Sirius, a Stag for Harry, A Jack Russell Terrier for Ron, A horse for Ginny, A lion, Ruby, and Yellow diamond to represent Gryffindor. A book, an owl and a House elf to show Hermione's interest of knowledge and helping others, The letters H, J, and S. The numbers 1 and 7. An otter for her patroness. Hermione's Birthstone. The letters C and D, a badger for Cedric and a heart with their initials intertwined in it.**


	15. Chapter 15

It was late in the morning when Hermione woke up. She had been up late the night before saying good bye to Sirius, Remus, Regulaus and Cedric. She had used the Floo connection from here to Three Broomsticks and would return to Hogwarts safely from there. Only Sirius was there to say goodbye the second time. He was of course was made over to look like someone else entirely.

She was waiting until noon to walk up to the school with Tonks when she arrived. Sirius was passing back and forth by the fireplace of the room he had checked into just for today. He was nervous, worried and most likely a mixture of both but Hermione couldn't blame him.

"Sirius, don't worry." Hermione told him. "I'll be fine and I'm more prepared to protect myself."

"I know that and I get it but like I've said before I just got you it doesn't mean I want to lose you just as quickly."

"And don't worry dear cousin your daughter is safe in my capable hands." Tonks said waltzing into the room.

"Promise me you'll look after yourself and not go around looking for ways to get me a new trail." Sirius said. "We'll deal with that when school is over."

"And that's not till June. I'd like to think that you were free to live your life before that time."

Hermione had one last look at Sirius before Tonks led her from the room. Tonks was very alert as she walked Hermione up to the school gates. They were greeted by Flitch and Hermione's head of house Professor McGonagall. Flitch did his security screening before he allowed her onto the grounds. The snow on the grounds of Hogwarts looked much better than in the snow on the ground of Hogsmeade. Hermione loved it.

"Evening, Miss. Granger. Be careful of the stone on your way in."

"I will, Professor." Hermione said as she passed Professor McGonagall.

Hermione went up the dorm and put her things away. The password had changed shortly after she arrived and she was given it by a student that had stayed over the holidays. She smiled and thanked them before leaving.

"Miss Granger?"

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore." Hermione said. "Is there anything that you need?"

"Could you give this to Mister Potter when he arrives?" Dumbledore said holding out a scroll.

"Yes sir." Hermione replied taking the scroll.

"Thank you Miss Granger." Dumbledore said with an airy wave.

Hermione waved back and went to go and visit with Hagrid for a bit. He was outside with Buckbeak feeding him.

"Hagrid?" Hermione called.

"Hermione your back, Where are Harry and Ron?" Hagrid asked.

"They are still at the Burrow." Hermione said. "They'll arrive later by Floo I should get going I just wanted to say hi."

"See ya."

Hermione left Hagrid there by himself and ran up to the castle hoping to meet Harry and Ginny. She didn't find them until she got to Gryffindor tower and called for their names. She pulled off her hat and gloves as she walked up to them.

"I've been back for a few hours now. I was just visiting Hagrid and Bu—Witherwings," she said. "You have a good Christmas?"

"The festivities puttered out after we left Grimmauld place."

"The password is Abstinence and I have something for you." Hermione said. "It should work. You might have to give it once or twice for it to register."

"Abstinence." Harry told the fat lady.

"That is correct."

The fat lady swung forward to allow them entrance into the common room.

"What's with her?" Harry asked.

"She and her friend Violet drank their way through the wine in drunken monks painting down by the Charms corridor." Hermione said leading them into the common room. "Bit over indulgent for a painting if you ask me".

She stopped for a second when she got inside the common room and dug around in her bag for a moment before pulling out a scroll of parchment.

"Yes." Harry said after reading the scroll. "I've got a lesson tomorrow and I've got loads to tell hi…"

"Won-Won!" squealed Lavender Brown as she ran toward Ron and flung her arms around him.

"We can use the table over there." Hermione said. "Coming, Ginny?"

"No I'm going to meet Dean." She said.

"Come on." Harry said leaving Ron and Lavender alone. "Did Cedric ever show up after we all left?"

"He did." Hermione shrugged.

"Why was he late?" Harry asked.

"He never said." Hermione replied flatly. "Or I can't remember but I don't really care."

"You have not talked to Ron much lately."

"No I haven't but he's the one going around snogging Lavender where ever he may please." Hermione said. "Besides what did you want to tell me about before we left?"

Harry explained to her about what he had overheard when he disappeared from Slughorn's Christmas party. Harry went over everything he heard and what he thought they meant. Hermione just seemed to roll her eyes at what he was saying to her.

"Harry I wouldn't say that." Hermione said. "Dumbledore trust Snape, I'm sure he was just—"

"Pretending, I doubt it Hermione." Harry replied. "Ron's dad and Lupin told me the same thing but the conversation defiantly tells us that Malfoy is planning something."

"He might be but you can't say that it's dangerous. You have no proof that he is behind what happen to the Katie." Hermione snapped.

"Who else would Snape call your master?" Harry asked. "There is no one besides Voldemort that they could be referring to."

"It could have been his father." Hermione told him as she stared across the room at Lavender and Ron. "They could be a bit more polite about it. Did Lupin visit?"

"Yes but he didn't look all that great." Harry said. "Ever hear of Fenrir Greyback? Lupin said he's been going underground looking for him."

"Of course I have and so did you Harry." Hermione said.

"When, in class because I think I would remember if I had?"

"No, not in one of your classes but before school started. When we followed Malfoy to Borgin and Burkes." Hermione said. "Malfoy told Borgin that Greyback would be visiting from time to time to check in on Borgin's progress."

Harry just stared at her.

"That just proves that Malfoy is up to something. Why would he threaten a shop keeper if he wasn't doing something illegal?"

"I agree that it's suspicious but it doesn't mean anything."

"Oh, come on already there is no way to get around it." Harry snapped.

"It could have been an empty threat."

"You are really unbelievable." Harry said. "Just like the ministry you will be eating your words just like Rufus Scrimgeour along with the rest of the ministry."

"Scrimgeour when did you see him?"

"He came to dinner before Christmas." Harry then went on to tell her about what Rufus Scrimgeour wanted from him but he didn't go into as much detail as he did with his story about over hearing Malfoy and Snape conversation. She went to dinner with him that night and to bed shortly after that.

The new term started the next morning with a surprise for all the sixth years.

**APPARITION LESSONS**

**If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen on or before the 31st August next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic Apparition instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Cost: 12 Galleons.**

"That will be cool." Hermione said as she looked at the poster. The cost was something Hermione could cover even if she didn't have Sirius's money. So she quickly got in line to sign up for the classes but just as quickly walked away after Lavender Brown showed up shouting Won-won again.

She stalked off to breakfast before she went to her first class. Harry had caught up with her a few seconds after that but Ron also caught up with them not long after that. His ears were red with embarrassment. Hermione rolled her eyes and sped up her walk to leave them behind and walked with Neville.

That night when Harry left for his lesson with Dumbledore Hermione also left the common room. She didn't tell anyone where she was going but she did tell Ginny that if she wasn't down for breakfast in the morning to come look for her.

"Just be careful." Ginny said.

Hermione nodded and slipped out of the common room and down the hallway. She hid in the shadows whenever she heard someone coming. Most of the time it was a Prefect doing rounds but a few times it was a teacher. When she got where she was going she raised her hand to the dark wood door and knocked and waited for a voice to come from within.

"It is LATE now what do you want?" they snapped as they opened the door.

Hermione pulled her cloak closer.

"Miss. Granger?"

"I'd like to talk to you about something professor." Hermione said. "But I would prefer if prying ears couldn't hear. Please it concerns my father and I'm pretty sure you are the only one that could help me and not have the ministry be suspicious of it."

"Why would the ministry be suspicious?"

"They would be because of who my father is."

"Do I know him?"

"Yes and you hate him and that's why I think you would be the best choice to help him." Hermione told him.

"Name?"

"What?"

"Your father's name?"

"Sirius Black," Hermione whispered.

"You want me to help him after all he's done to me." Snape shouted. "No I will not help him."

"You will be helping me by helping him. I need my dad and him being cooped up in that house most of the time when he hates it isn't going to help me any." Hermione replied. "Besides with the law I found to get him a new trial you would be the only one believable to get it."

"Why?"

"Because the law states that a werewolf, giant or creature like them can make a citizen's arrest and this isn't exactly something I could ask Dumbledore to do." Hermione said. "You hate him but you would also make sure he got a fair trial not that anyone would understand why."

Snape said nothing. It was the first time in her life that she has seen someone like Snape unable to say a word.

"I figured Easter break would be a good time or some time before that. I'd want to appear at the trial." Hermione said. "I just want him to be free but I get that you don't want to help him. "

Hermione got up from the seat she had taken and walked out of the room but returned a few seconds later.

"Professor Snape at least got talk to him. It's been years since you two were in school and people change he still might not like you and the same with you for him but people do change."

Snape snapped and Hermione left the room but didn't turn back around this time. She walked her way up to Gryffindor tower and to her door.

"So I don't have to send a search party out for you?"

"No you do not Ginny."

"So how did it go?"

"Not like I wanted it to but not like you thought it would." Hermione said.

"So no death threats?"

"No, I left them speechless." Hermione said. "But I don't think that it got me anywhere and Sirius refuses to talk about it until school is over in June."

"That's because he doesn't want you to fail your classes." Ginny said.

"I doubt that I would fail my classes at all. I wouldn't have near perfect grades but I wouldn't fail them."

"Well it's late and unlike you I need sleep to get through my classes."

He stood outside the ominous looking house. The drapes were drawn closed only the dull light of a few candles peaked out the small openings left. He never wanted to come to the house again but the sight of the girl who reminded him so much of his first love—but was also different—had him coming to knock on the door.

Shaking his memories away he walked up to the door and knocked as hard as he could –he would have woken up the muggle neighbors if the house hadn't been protected against those kinds of things.

"Shut up you crazy old bat." He heard from behind the door before it opened. "What are you doing here?"

"Your daughter sent me here."

"Hermione why would she send you?" he asked.

"She didn't actually send me but her urgency at pounding on my door about an hour ago had me thinking other otherwise." He said.

"Why did she go to you?" Sirius asked.

"Because a werewolf, giant or anything like them can make a citizen's arrest."

"I told her I wouldn't talk about that until after school was finished."

"This year or next year?"

"This year of course I'd be stupid to sentence myself to another year stuck in this house." Sirius said.

"She said it would be a better idea to do it during Easter holidays so I would have a reason to be out of the castle and roaming the streets of London."

"Come in." Sirus said stepping back from the door.

Snape paused for a second before stepping in to the dimly lit hallway. Sirus led him down into the kitchen where Remus and Regulaus were in a heated debate about something that appeared in the prophet.

"Severus what are you doing here?" Regulaus asked.

"Your niece." Snape replied.

"Oh. I'll leave you two to it then." Regulaus said before gulping down the rest of his butter beer and quickly leaving the room.

Snape and Sirius sat down at the table with Remus but sat as far from each other as they could. They still hated each other. Snape told Sirus everything that Hermione had told him.

"I don't care Snape I will not talk about it until school term is over for Hermione." Sirius snapped.

"Sirius I think you should listen to him. Hermione's got exams coming up and she can't be worrying about you while she has to study for them." Remus said. "She could fail them if she's too busy worrying all about you."

Remus had hit the nail right onto its narrow little head. Snape smiled –it was a very thin smile mind you—behind his hands but not because of what Remus had said. It was because of the twitch that had started to form on the left side of Sirius's face. But he continued to sit there as Remus Lupin talked his old friend into getting arrested—for the right reasons—before Hermione's sixth year at Hogwarts came to an end.


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm not sure how long it's been since I updated and I'm really sorry for not updating. I got distracted by writing. It was supposed to be a one shot with just a one thousand words but now has well eleven thousand words and might end up with more because I have yet to finish.**

**Hope you like this chapter.**

**MJM**

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The next day Hermione said nothing to no one but Ginny—because they had talked the night before—about her little trip down to Snape's classroom. She had spotted Ron and Harry but really didn't want to spend more time than needed with Ron because sooner or later Lavender would show up and start making out with him like they were in a broom cupboard.

Hermione had taken a much gloomier view on things compared to Ron's easy going out look on the whole situation. Ron also thought that it was cool Harry got a job from Dumbledore.

"Harry he has to be really determined to hide what really happened if Dumbledore couldn't get it out of him." Hermione said. "And Horcruxes… I have never heard of them, they could dark magic for all we know."

"You haven't heard of them?"

"They must be really advanced Dark magic, too. It would explain why Voldemort was interested in it. They can't be good. For all we know they could be some kind of weapon he plans on using or has already put to use. You know it has to be really bad if Professor Slughorn doesn't want Dumbledore to know what he said to Voldemort."

"Ron thinks it would be a good idea if I stayed after potions end…"

"Fine go with whatever Ron thinks is good but you have another friend you can go to for advice but you don't seem to realized that and I get I was stand offish last year but I found out that the man I thought was my father wasn't"

"Hermione,"

"Don't bother Harry you have already chosen."

Hermione left him standing there. Their potions lesson wasn't much easier to get through. Hermione moved her caldron to another table away from Ron and Harry. She didn't speak to Harry, Ron or anyone else.

Slughorn asked them questions about Golpalott's Third Law.

"His third law states that the antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the total of the antidotes for each of the components." Hermione answered of course answered the question quickly and Slughorn beamed at her.

"That his correct Ms. Granger." Slughorn said. "Ten points to Gryffindor for your answer, now if you accept Golpalott's third law as true…"

Hermione smiled back at his praised. For once in the past couple of weeks it wasn't Harry's name being mentioned. It was the first time in a long time and Hermione hated being jealous over something that seemed so stupid. She continued to listen to Slughorn's lecture about Golpalott's third law.

This lesson would be an easy one. Hermione knew from their last lesson that they were going to be working with antidotes and had read up on them in the library when she was done working on her homework. She knew Ron and Harry would have trouble with what Slughorn was planning because they hardly ever did more than the bare minimum of work when it came to anything than saving school. She sat up a little straighter when Slughorn paused in front of his desk.

"…And because of this," Slughorn said, "I want each one of you to come and take a single bottle from here on my desk. You will use what I just told you about and create an antidote for what is inside the vial, off you go."

Hermione shot off her stool and up to Slughorn's table before anyone else in the class had made a move off of their stools. Hermione was so quick that Ron and Harry had only just gotten back to the table and she was already lighting a fire under her cauldron.

"The prince won't be able to help you now, Harry, you have no way to know what is in the vial." She said. "I don't think there will be any short cuts or cheats in the book. You have to do the work on your own."

Annoyed, Hermione turned from talking to Harry back to watching her cauldron. It was getting to the point where she could create the antidote. She had no idea of what was in the vial she had taken from Slughorn's desk but it was a sickly green color. She has her book open to the section about Golpalott's third law.

She could tell Harry was stumped at what he should do and to be truthful she was too and would be until she knew what had been in the vial.

"_Nothing,"_ she heard Harry say gloomily.

She looked at her cauldron and it started to bubble. She grabbed her wand and preformed the spell she needed to find out what the substance was. She could feel Harry's eyes on her but she would not help him. He needed to know that she wouldn't always be there to help him and because she had done so well with non-verbal spell casting he and Ron wouldn't be able to hear what spell she was using.

Several of the students—including harry and Ron—in class started to mutter specialist revelio but it did nothing. She wanted to laugh but she also knew that they had to learn. She saw Slughorn walk over to Harry's cauldron and looking at Harry's potion with a smile but looked back up without a smile and coughing. He grimaced at Harry before he moved on to the next student.

Harry in respond to Slughorn but turned back to book. He flipped through it with more forced than Hermione thought was needed. He stopped about halfway through the book and looked at the page there before running over to the cupboard that held the extra ingredients for students and started to dig through it with a panicked look on his face.

_He should have paid attention._ Hermione thought to herself. Harry has finally stopped digging in the cupboard and grabbed something.

"Only two minutes left…" Harry snagged his a small object in his hand with something clutching it tightly. He ran back to his cauldron.

"Time's UP!" Slughorn yelled. "Now let's see what you all have from me."

Slughorn then moved slowly from one cauldron giving praise for cheering some while jeering others. No one had finished; not even Hermione who had tried to finish it off before Slughorn arrived to see hers. Harry looked panicked when Slughorn had finally reached their table.

Their table was the last one so each one of them was worried about what Slughorn would say. He grimaced at Ron's. Passed over Ernie's and paused for a bit at Harry's.

Harry thrust out his hand and opened it to reveal a small shriveled up bean looking object lying in it. Hermione knew that it was a Bezoar. Slughorn stared at his hand—Harry had gulped—while Slughorn through his head back and laughed at him. He wasn't mad at Harry, he in fact thought that Harry said nerve and even told him so. He took the Bezoar and raised it up so the class could see what Harry had.

"So like your mother you are… and to the rest of you this is a Bezoar and it would most certainly keep anything in these vials from hurting you."

Hermione was mad. Her antidote, had come to include fifty-two (and maybe more) ingredients was bubbling in sluggishly in front of her.

"Did you find the Bezoar about that all by yourself, Harry?" Hermione snapped when Slughorn had turned his back to face the class.

"…the lesson is over now. Clean up your work areas and then you may leave."

Hermione went to work cleaning up her area. She vanished what was in the cauldron and packed away what ingredients she had left out before grabbing her cauldron once it had cooled and left the classroom and the other student's behind. Hermione wasn't the only one ticked off at Slughorn's praise of Harry and the Bezoar Harry handed him—was Draco Malfoy, he stormed out of the classroom not long after her. He bumped into Hermione as he passed and smelled a little bit like someone had gotten sick on him.

She went to her classes and ignored Harry and Ron and was not surprised to hear them arguing when she entered the common room later that night.

"_We both couldn't have done it." _Harry said. _"We would have looked stupid. Plus it softened him up for when I asked him about Voldemort."_

The next few days Harry did nothing but brood because of Hermione and Ron's reactions to him using the Bezoar. She focused on her homework and writing to Cedric and Sirius.

"Hermione did you get an invite to a party from Slughorn?" Harry asked her a few days later.

"No I haven't and I don't think that Jenny has either." Hermione replied.

Hermione wasn't sure if Ginny had received one or not because she hadn't spoken to the girl yet and as far as she knew no one else in the Slug club had received one either.

"Why do you ask?" Hermione asked.

"I was just wondering. We've been back to school for weeks now and he hasn't received one." He said. "What about Horcruxs?"

"I haven't found anything about what Horcruxs are." She replied. "Not one single thing! I've have even gone through the restricted section and there is nothing about Horcruxs, they aren't even mentioned except a sentence or two in Magic Most Evil. I don't think we'll find anything here in the Hogwarts Library."

"Well thank you for trying." Harry said. "Maybe Sirius knows something?"

"I'd rather not ask him." Hermione replied. "He's got enough going on right now."

It didn't take long for January to fade into February and the snow soon melted into replaced with a cold wetness. Purple grey clouds hung low around the castle. Chilly rain made it harder to get down the steps without slipping—and made Filch made about all the mud tracked into the castle between all the classes and on the weekends.

But this Saturday morning would be different. They were all headed to the great hall—at least the least the ones signed up for the apparition lessons would be. The house tables had been removed. Heavy rain pounded on the windows. The enchanted ceiling swirled with dark colors. The heads of house and a nearly transparent man—he just looked that way—were all standing at the spot teachers would have sat for lunch or dinner. The transparent looking man looked like he could be gone with the next guest of wind that blew through the air. Hermione wondered how old he was because he looked like the frail old man that died two days after Hermione and her mum visited him in the nursing home he lived in.

"Good morning everyone." The man said. "My name is Wilkie Twycross and I will be your instructor for this Ministry Apparition course. It will last twelve weeks. At the end of those twelve weeks the students who are old enough will be allowed to take an apparition test down in the village."

"Pay attention Mr. Malfoy if you would like to stay in the class." Professor McGonagall snapped.

Hermione—an just about everyone else—turned to see Malfoy blushing pink as he stepped back from Crabbe and Goyal they had been arguing about something. Harry kept looking between Malfoy and Snape. Hermione thought that Snape looked uncomfortable but then again he always kind of did and Hermione suspected that it was because he didn't like being around people.

The ministry wizard continued to talk as if he hadn't been interrupted at all.

"Normally you wouldn't be allowed to Apparate or Disapparate with in Hogwarts or its grounds but for today's lesson the Headmaster has lifted that enchantment from the great hall but only the great hall." He told them all. "It would be hazardous for you to even try getting outside this room. So keep that in mind as we begin our lesson now I would like all off you too arrange yourselves so that there is not a single person in front of you."

The students including Hermione started too scrambled for an open space. She saw harry moving away from her and Ron.

"Where are you going?" she had asked him.

He ignored her and continued to move through the crowed closer to someone that she could not see from where she was. She called after him again but harry didn't answer; he kept moving through the crowded great hall quickly. The professors all—Snape didn't seem to be doing anything—went to work trying to get their students in line. The houses mostly stayed together but there were a few from other houses were hanging around another house because they knew someone in it.

The apparition lesson continued. Hermione listened to the small man as he walked down the line in front of them. But everyone continued to talk about excited they were about learning it.

"Quiet!" the four heads of house yelled.

"Thank you," Twycross said, "Now…"

Twycross didn't finish what he was saying but waved his wand and in front of each and every student was a large wooden hoop.

"I want you all to try and appear in these hoops but only these hoops." He said. "Now it is three important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's and they are Destination, Determination and Deliberation!"

He said the last part with so much enthusiasm that Hermione thought that he was going to fall backward but he didn't he just swayed a little bit. He turned and started walking back the other way.

"Now the first step is to keep your mind firmly on your destination," Twycross said. "For this lesson it will be the inside of the hoops that lie before you. Concentrate on that now please."

Hermione looked around at the people on either side of her before she stared intently at the hoop in front of her. The other students did too from what she could tell—she shook the thoughts away and tried hard to focus on the hoop in front of her. But she couldn't focus on the hoop because she was worried about Sirius but then again she was always worried about him. She shook those thoughts away and tried to focus again on the large wooden hoop in front of her. The second time was easier.

"Now step too is your determination. For this I want you to visualize the space you want to appear in—this being the hoop in front of you."

Hermione looked to those by her both of them were straining so hard that their faces had turned red like a cartoon that was mad, the only thing missing was the steam coming from their ears. He bit her tongue to keep herself from laughing out loud and turn her attention back to her own hoop.

"Now we have the final step." Twycross said. "But only when I give the command, do you turn around on the spot. Now… One… "

Hermione panicked a bit at the thought of being asked to Apparate so soon. She didn't want to get hurt.

"Two…" Twycross said.

She still didn't feel comfortable being in a room fool of people –even thought they were just as likely to make fools of themselves in front of her.

"…three!" Twycross yelled.

Hermione did and nearly fell over. She wasn't the only one and in fact it was Neville Longbottom and fallen flat on his back—a few inconsiderate people laughed at him but Hermione wasn't one of them—Hermione went over and helped him up. He thanked her and she went back to her hoop.

"Oh never mind that, go back to your hoops and moved the back to where they started from." Twycross announced dryly. "Come on now! Try again."

The second and third tries were just as dismal for Hermione and the rest as the first try. The forth try was when things changed. Susan Bones had screamed out in pain and everyone turned to look at her. She was standing—as well as she could—on her left leg in the hoop while her right leg was left behind where she had started from.

The four teachers and Twycross rushed over to her and helped her. They had parted and revealed a sobbing Susan Bones with her leg mended, Hermione wasn't sure what had been done because all she saw was a puff of dark purpled smoke.

"That was Splincing, it happened when the mind isn't all that determined." Twycross said before he vanished from in front of them and appeared at the back of the hall. "You have to remember the three D's. Now try again."

He counted to three again. They continued to do this for one more hour but no one came closer to apparating than Susan's ill fated Splinching. Their instructor Twycross didn't seem to be discouraged by the progress—or lack thereof—and just told them to remember the three D's and with a wave of his wand the hoops were gone. He then left the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall by his side.

People started talking just as quickly as they made for the Entrance Hall.

"How did you do?" Hanna asked. "I didn't feel a thing. I was hoping that I would at least feel something."

"No I did get dizzy at the end from all the spinning." Hermione replied. "So I don't think I would have realized if I felt anything."

"I don't think I did either." Hanna replied. "I mean there are only so many times I can spin around before I get sick from it."

"From the way Harry describe it I don't think that I would want to Apparate all the time only when I had to." Hermione told her. "I'm only learning with you-know-who out there and you never know when you will need a quick getaway."

Hanna had left her after that to go talk to one of her friends from Ravenclaw. Hermione went to the staircase that would lead her to Gryffindor tower.

"Miss Granger," Professor Snape called.

Hermione stopped abruptly causing a few people to bump into her.

"Sorry." She told them as she turned around to face Snape. "Yes professor?"

"I need to speak with you."

"If it's about w…"

"Not here. Your head of house will be meeting us in her office."

"Oh," Hermione said as she started toward McGonagall's office. "I'm not in trouble am I? I didn't think looking thr…"

"You are not in trouble. McGonagall just want to speak with you."

"Do I know what it's about?" Hermione asked.

"Yes you do but we will not speak of it here," He said with a flick of his wand. "There are too many prying ears around."

Hermione looked at where his wand was pointed and there in a pile of smoking flesh colored goo was what had been a pair of extendable ears.

"I can see that." Hermione mumbled.

Snape either chose not to reply or didn't have a chance to because they had just gotten to McGonagall's office. Professor McGonagall was sitting behind her desk. She looked like she was grading papers or home work.

"Miss Granger you're here." Professor McGonagall said. "Please have a seat. You too Severus."

Hermione sat down in the chair Professor McGonagall pointed out to her. Snape did the same but on the other side of the desk. He looked uncomfortable almost like a child in trouble with their teacher.

"You aren't in trouble dear but I have been informed of your situation by professor Dumbledore and Snape as well as your father."

"But…"

"I've been told everything. His name won't be mentioned here until it has been cleared." McGonagall said. "I've filled in on your name to get his name cleared and I have to say I'm proud that you went to Severus with this idea first. Not many of your house would do that." She added.

"Oh," Hermione said.

"I've been asked by your father to tell you what the plan is and to also tell you that you are not to have any part of it."

"I knew he would say that."

"He's protective of you. They same way he was and still is about Harry."

"That's a given." Hermione mumbled. "What is his plan?"

"Actually it's really the one you came up with."

"To have him seen and arrested in London by Snape," McGonagall asked.

"What about the trial?" Hermione asked. "I'd like to be there."

"You will be allowed as will Harry and Mr. Weasley because he quote held you 'hostage' your third year, the ministry would likely want you three to testify but we don't think that it will come to that but that fact alone will get you there to support him. It's at that point that you will be recognized as his daughter that is if they clear him of any wrong doing."

"Can I leave now or is there more you need to tell me."

"That is all for now." McGonagall said. "See you in class."

Hermione didn't speak of the subject with McGonagall again. February turned into March with little change in the weather, it was just as wet as February had been but also windy. And it hadn't surprised Hermione when a sign was posted on the notice boards one morning announcing that the next trip to Hogsmeade had been canceled.

"Ron won't be happy." Ginny said. "That was on his birthday."

"It can't be that big of a surprise to you, after what happened to Katie?" Hermione replied.

"Your right it really doesn't but it doesn't lessen the disappointment all that much."

"I get that but it's also not a good idea for the school to risk the lives of all the other students." Hermione replied.

The Apparition lessons hadn't changed much either; only a few more people splinch themselves but no one had managed to Apparate without hurting themselves. The frustration was mounting and resulted in several not so nice nick names for Twycross and his three D's, most of which were running on the childish side of things.

The morning of Ron's birthday wasn't different from any other day. Ginny made sure Ron got his gift before she ran off to meet Dean. Hermione hid herself in the library to finish her homework. Ron was her friend but she didn't think that she would be one of the people celebrating his birthday with him; he'd be too busy all wrapped up in whatever Lavender wanted to do.

The library was quite but there were more people inside it than there would normally be on a Saturday. Hermione's guess was because the trip to Hogsmeade had been canceled. She heard the books hitting the table before she saw them. She looked up.

"Blasie," Hermione greeted. "Do you need something?"

"I wanted to thank you for your help." He said. "I got the paper work a while ago and it's all done."

"So you're…"

"Leaving during Easter break and getting married then."

"What will you do after that?" Hermione asked.

"I'll take her to America and make sure she is safe before I come back and finish out the year. I'll transfer to an American school next year so I can be closer to her."

"How is she dealing with all this?"

"Fine just wishes her family would leave her alone."

"Why?"

"They are no pushing her to give the baby up. She doesn't want to of course."

Hermione didn't get a chance to reply to Blasie because Ginny had come running into the library, her red hair billowing like flames behind her.

"Hermione you have to come to the hospital wing now. Ron's been poisoned."

"So sorry Blasie." Hermione said tossing her things into her bag as fast as she could. She and Ginny ran for the Hospital wing.


	17. Chapter 17

**I won't be updating for a while, life is getting in the way.**

**MJM**

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"So today is not one of Ron's top ten birthdays." Fred said.

It was no late in the evening; they were all in the hospital wing sitting around Ron's hospital bed. Ron was the only one in the hospital wing. They had just gotten in a few hours ago after trying to sneak looks whenever someone went in or out. Pomfrey had let them in around eight o'clock and Fred and George arrived about an hour or two after that.

"We did not picture handing our gift over this way," George said putting a large wrapped gift on Ron's bedside cabinet and sat down by Ginny.

"Yeah, we figured he would be conscious," Fred said.

"Somewhere down in Hogsmeade waiting to pop out and surprise him."

"Why were you in Hogsmeade?" Ginny asked, looking at him.

"We were looking at Zonko's, working to expand." Fred said gloomily. "We thought a Hogsmeade branch, would really help us expand our business, fat lot of good it'll do if you can't come down on the weekend anymore."

He took a seat beside Harry. He shivered looking down at Ron's pale face.

"How did he get poisoned, Harry?" he asked.

Harry groaned and told the story he felt like he had told a million times before, to McGonagall, Dumbledore, and anyone else that had asked him. Hermione heard his tale earlier so she knew how Harry got the bezoar, shoved it down Ron's throat and how Slughorn ran for help and Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey showed up not long after and brought Ron up to the hospital wing where he was now sleeping peacefully. He would mumble every now and then but Hermione couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Blimey, he's lucky you thought of a bezoar," George replied.

"I was just lucky there was one in the room." Harry said.

Hermione shivered at the thought of what would have happened if Harry hadn't found the little stone.

"Has anyone told Lavender?" Hermione asked.

"No." Ginny mumbled. "We've all been too worried about Ron to find her."

"I'll go find her." Hermione said.

She left the Weasley's and Harry with Ron so she could go and find Lavender. She found lavender in the great hall.

"Have you seen Ron?" Lavender asked. "I've been looking for him all day."

"I'll take you to him." Hermione told her.

"Is he okay?" Lavender asked trying to keep up.

"He is now." Hermione told her. "But I think he would want you to be there when he woke up."

"He's in the hospital wing?"

"Yes. He interested something when he and Harry went to see Slughorn when he ate chocolate caldrons spiked with a love potion."

"How did he get those?"

"Harry was given them months ago and he went looking for something this morning and tossed them out of his trunk during his search." Hermione said. "They got mixed in with Ron's birthday gifts. Harry took him to Slughorn and Slughorn offered them something to drink and the bottle he grabbed was poisoned."

"Who would want to poison him?"

"Don't know but don't worry about that now. Ron's fine and I'm sure he'd want to see you when he wakes."

Lavender pushed through the Hospital wing doors and ran over to Ron's bed. Hermione was sure that she heard Lavender cry won-won but chose not to say anything about it. She smiled and stayed at the foot of the bed with the others.

"Who would want to kill Slughorn?" Ginny asked. "He's a fame whore but it's not something to kill him over."

"Maybe it's retaliation from Voldemort's supporters." Harry said. "Dumbledore's told me that he things Voldemort wants Slughorn on his side. He had been hiding for over a year when Dumbledore recruited him to teach potions. Voldemort could also want him out of the way."

"You said that Slughorn was going to give that bottle to Dumbledore as a gift for Christmas." Ginny said. "Whoever poisoned the bottle could have been after Dumbledore."

"Whoever poisoned the bottle didn't know Slughorn very well," Hermione replied. "Anyone who knew Slughorn, no matter how well they knew him, would know that he just might end up keeping the bottle himself it was fancy enough for his taste."

"It doesn't have to be fancy if he likes it there is a ninety percent likely hood that he will keep it for himself."

"Er-my-nee," Ron croaked from the bed. "Shut up about the bloody house elves already."

They all fill into silences. They watched him wondering if he would wake up but he didn't. The doors to the hospital wing flew open causing them all to jump. Hagrid was walking toward them. He was holding his crossbow and trailing mud along behind him.

"I've been in the forest all day." He said. "With Aragog of course and he isn't getting any better, I ran ito professor sprout just now and she told me about Ron! How is he?"

"He's not doing too badly," Harry said. "Pomfrey says he will be okay."

"No more than six people at a time!" Madam Pomfrey shouted from her office.

"**Hagrid makes six," George **replied to her.

"Oh I suppose you are right." Madam Pomfrey replied. She had obviously been counting Hagrid as more than one person because his size was so large. She made his muddy foot prints vanish before going back into her office.

"I can't believe it," Hagrid said. His voice was hoarse. "I can't believe… I can't believe that any would hurt him, who would want too?"

"That's what we've been talking about." Harry told him. "We can't figure that out."

"Seems like someone has a grudge against Gryffindor Quidditch team," Hagrid said. "First there was Katie now there is Ron?"

"Can't see anyone here at school trying to bump off a team," George said.

"All though wood would have tired with the Slytherins if he knew he would have gotten away with it."

"While Quidditch is one connection, I don't think it's the reason behind the attacks." Hermione said quietly.

"Why do you think that?" Hagrid asked.

"For one thing they both could have turned out fatal but weren't, but that was pure luck. Also neither the poison nor the necklace seemed to have reached who they were intended for otherwise they would have been killed." Hermione Explained. "But that makes the person behind both attacks even more dangerous to the school; because they don't really seem to have a care about how many people they hurt."

No one had a chance to respond Hermione; the dormitory doors flew opened again. It was Mr. and Mrs. Weasley the rushed up the ward over to Ron's bed. Mrs. Weasley had pulled Harry to her and hugged him tightly. Hermione was sure that if Mrs. Weasley had been any stronger she would have cut off Harry's air supply.

"Dumbledore's explained to us how you saved him," She cried. "You've saved Ginny… You saved Arthur… and now you've saved Ron. How can we thank you?"

"Don't… I didn't… I just…" Harry mumbled quietly.

"Our family's luck changed the day Ron chose to sit in the same compartment as you on the Express." Mr. Weasley said. "Half out family owes their lives to you now that I think about it."

Harry stared at Mr. Weasley blankly and looked relieved when Madam Pomfrey came out of her office to tell them only six visitors were allowed per bed. Hermione rose to leave and Harry, Lavender and Hagrid did to.

Hermione, Harry, and Lavender left the ward Hagrid and trailed on behind them. Filch had stopped them and was ready to give them detention until Hagrid stopped him and told them to get to the common room. They heard Peeves singing somewhere down the corridor.

The Fat Lady was sleeping when they got to the portrait. She wasn't happy about being woken up but swung forward to allow them into the empty common room; Hermione and Lavender bade harry good night and Headed for the girls' dorms while Harry stayed in the common room and sat down by the fire.

Hermione was glad that the common room was empty. She was glad that she didn't have to answer any questions about what happened.

"Good night Hermione." Lavender said.

She got up to her dorm grabbed her night cloths and changed. She climbed into bed and was out like a light in a storm the moment her head hit the pillow.

She woke up halfway through the night from a nightmare. Because of the nightmare it took her a while to get back to sleep. She was worried about who was trying to kill someone in the castle. She believed Ron and Katie were not the targets of who ever poisoned the bottle and gave Katie the necklace. It was like second year all over again. There was nothing out there to tell them who would be the next victim if there even was another victim.

It seemed that everyone knew what happened to Ron the next morning. It however did not cause the rumors and over all sensation that Katie's attack had. Most people considered it to be an accident since Ron had been in the potions masters' room at the time. Ron's attack was also lessened by the fact that he was given an antidote almost immediately after he was poisoned so no real harm could have been done, most seemed to be concerned with the upcoming Quidditch match instead.

Ron's attack only seemed to make Harry even more obsessed with Draco Malfoy. He would go off several times during the day to check the Marauder's map or follow Malfoy to where ever he was going. It only seemed to get worse as the minutes ticked by. He was late to class several times because he was following Malfoy around or looking at the map but he would still have a cow whenever he couldn't find Malfoy anywhere on the map.

But Harry did not have a lot of time to worry about why Malfoy wasn't on the map, he had Quidditch and home work to worry about. He also had Cormac and Lavender bugging him at all times now. Lavender because she wanted to know how Ron was doing and Cormac because he wanted to take Ron's spot on the team. Hermione who was often with Harry was growing tired of Cormac's never ending supply of speech on why he would be the better permanent keeper than Ron and different training schemes he had come up with. Harry had stopped in the middle of several corridors and yelled at him that he (Harry) was the captain not him (Cormac).

While Cormac was bugging Harry Lavender was bugging her and Harry both. She wanted to discuss Ron because he wasn't awake whenever she went to see him.

"I mean, I am his girlfriend shouldn't he want to see me." Lavender whined.

"Lavender I'm sure it's nothing. He isn't even awake when I go to visit him he might be awake when Harry sees him but Harry hasn't said anything." Hermione replied.

"Are you sure because you two haven't been on the best of terms lately."

"Look, why don't you write Ron a letter about all of this." Hermione said. "He might reply if he feels like you won't blow up at him."

"What do you mean?" Lavender asked.

"You two have been going full speed ahead ever since you two have gotten together. He might want to slow down." Hermione explained. "He is a guy after all and not very many guys out there are looking to settle down not that it's what you want to do."

"Oh," Lavender replied sounding depressed.

"Lavender don't get said. Harry when to see Ron before the match." Hermione said. "Maybe Ron will say something then. For you know Ron could feel guilty about saying he loved another girl even though it was because of a love potion and something he had no control over."

Hermione placed her book on her bed

"Have a girls' night with your friends. I would offer myself but I'm not really your friend and that's who you need right now."

Lavender mumbled thanks before fleeing the room. Hermione felt sorry for her but honestly had no idea what to say to her. She got at least one note from Cedric a day saying he missed her or how much he loved her or sometimes both.

Hermione made her way down stairs to the great hall and grabbed a quick bite before she headed down to the Quidditch pitch. The crowed was already getting restless when she arrived. She saw Luna Lovegood at the commentary microphone. It would be a nice changed from the last game. She didn't have her lion hat on this time.

"Hermione!"

"Hannah hi, why are you sitting with the Gryffindors'' today?" Hermione asked.

"Neville invited me but I don't see him anywhere."

"Come with me. We usually sit near each other since Ron, Ginny and Harry are all on the team."

"I guess it would get boring after a while." Hanna replied. "I don't really like Quidditch.

"If you don't like it then why do you come?"

"Same reason you do, I come to support my classmates and friends that are playing." Hanna said. "And Neville likes it, maybe not as much as the other boys but he does."

"He's more into plants. He's what the muggles would call a horticulturist, which means someone that works with plants."

"Cool." Hanna said. "Is that who makes the muggle queen's garden's all pretty?"

"That would be a gardener but they probably do request the help of a horticulturist." Hermione said. "I got a book or two I can give you for Neville."

"He'd like that. He likes learning about plants or anything to do with them even if they are muggle plants."

"That's good you can give them to him on his birthday this summer."

"I might do that. How much do you want for them?" Hanna asked.

"Oh you don't have to pay for them. I have a photographic memory so I don't have any use for the books."

"Are you sure?" Hanna asked.

"Yes. Think of it as a gift to you. Since I gave them to you, you can take them and give them to someone else in this case Neville."

"Thank you."

Hermione just nodded and grabbed her hand and led her to three open seats. She and Hanna sat on each side of one open seat and saved it for Neville whenever he got there.

"Who do you think will win?" Hanna asked.

"I don't know. I Know Harry has tried really hard to train and pick a good team but events have… turned his team over to fate."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just that several recent events have made it where Harry's team while it may be good it's not what he would want." Hermione told her.

"Well I don't particularly like Quidditch but I do know that the Hufflepuff team is decent and may give Gryffindor a run from their team." Hanna replied. "Oh look they are coming out."

She and Hermione cheered. There was a wind blowing, patches of clouds and bright rays of sunlight shining down on them every now and then.

"Sorry I'm late. I got tripped by a Slytherin on my way down." Neville said when he found them. "Hi Hanna."

"It's alright you haven't missed anything." Hanna told him. "And Hermione was nice enough to keep me company."

"Thanks Hermione."

"The only other option I had was listening to lavender whine about Ron not talking to her." Hermione said. "Or stay cooped up in the library but even book worms like me need the sunlight every now and then."

Neville shrugged and turned his attention to the Quidditch pitch. Harry shook hands with Hufflepuff captain. Madame Hooch told them to mount their brooms and blew the whistle. Harry shot off into the air looking for the Snitch no doubt.

"Dang smith got the quaffle." Hanna said.

Hermione and Neville looked at her.

"What I can't stand him. He is a pompous idiot who thinks he's Merlin's gift to women." Hanna replied. "Had it been someone else I would have cheered like everyone else."

"Oh."

"Ginny's going after him now. He'll be sorry." Hermione said. "He was mad about losing last year so Ginny broke up with him."

"I remember that he was ticked off about it. I think she dodged a bullet with that one." Hanna replied.

Even though Luna's commentary was better than smiths it certainly wouldn't be better than Lee Jordan's.

"…and now the big Hufflepuff player has the Quaffle. I can't remember his name Bibble, Buggins or something like that."

"**It's Cadwallader!" **Professor McGonagall snapped.

"Looks like McLaggen thinks he's the captain." Hanna said. "Looks like he's yelling at Ginny just because Cadwallader scored."

"Yeah he wouldn't leave Harry alone at all about being on the team after Ron got poisoned." Hermione said.

"McLaggen's arguing with Harry now." Neville said pointing to the sky.

"McLaggen needs to get over the fact that Harry was chosen to be captain and that Ron is a better keeper than him." Hanna said.

"How do you know Ron's the better keeper?" Hermione asked.

"Well I've seen him play and he's really good more of a team player than McLaggen seems to be. My guess is Ron's only problem is nerves."

"True." Hermione replied. "Harry tries to talk him before the game to calm him down but I don't think it works."

"That could be because he feels like Harry has to say those things to him." Hanna said.

Their conversation trailed off after that. They watched as Ginny and Demelza scored a few goals. Cadwallader scored again tying the score. Luna Lovegood didn't seem to have seen this happen. She talked about shapes of the clouds as they drifted past or a disease (that Hermione was sure didn't exist) that Zacharias Smith had because he couldn't keep the Quaffle in his hands for more than sixty seconds.

"I kind of like her commentary." Neville said.

"It doesn't beat Lee's commentary though." Hermione said.

"**Seventy-forty to Hufflepuff!"**Professor McGonagall yelled into the megaphone.

"Oh it is," Luna said. **"Oh, Look! The Gryffindor Keeper's got hold of one of the Beater's bats."**

Hermione looked and sure enough McLaggen had Peaks's bat in his hand. Why she didn't know but she would put her money on that he was 'showing' Peaks how he should hit a Bludger his (McLaggen) way. Hermione could also see Harry turning to yell at McLaggen. His face was strained and red with anger. McLaggen took a swing at the Bludger once Harry turned back around but miss hit it. The bludger went right toward Harry and hit him in the back of the head. She and just about everyone else screamed as he started falling.

Hermione had waited outside the hospital wing so she could learn how Harry was doing. Professor McGonagall was in there along with Madam Pomfrey but they had yet to come out and tell any of them what was going on.

"Ginny you're here." Hermione said when the red head finally arrived.

"I had to change out of my clothes and calm myself down so I didn't go off and kill McLaggen for what he did." Ginny replied. "He says that it was an accident but I don't believe him. He was mad that Harry was captain and that Harry picked Ron for the team and not him. Frankly I don't think he was that good. Wood never picked him from the team when he was captain."

"Well he's a jerk and I'm sure you are already planning how to get back at him." Hermione said.

"But since you are a prefect I will not tell you." Ginny replied. "Have you heard anything?"

"I haven't heard anything." Hermione said. "Harry took a pretty bad hit on the head so they have a lot of test to run."

The sat there for a few minutes until Professor McGonagall came out and told them Harry was okay. Ginny went in under the guise of seeing Ron but surly she also visited with Harry too. Hermione left her there and went to the common room. She pulled out some of her books and some parchment and went to work on some homework that she had left last minute. She got so lost in doing her homework that the next time she looked up to see the time it was time for dinner.

She packed up her things, dropped them off in her dorm. She was on her way out when a first year stopped her.

"This is for you." They said. "A hyper owl dropped it when they were flying around the room."

"Thanks." Hermione said taking the note and heading out to eat.


	18. Chapter 18

Hermione greeted Harry and Ron when they left the hospital wing on Monday morning. They were both one hundred percent healthy. Harry seemed to be happy that she and Ron were talking again. Ron now promised to keep his snogging sessions with Lavender in the broom cupboards or hidden path ways in the school.

She had walked down to Breakfast down with them but the biggest news for them all was that Ginny and Dean were arguing a lot more.

"Do you know what it was about?" Harry asked.

"Nope. I was asleep when it happen." Hermione said.

They entered the corridor with the tapestry of trolls dancing in tutus. There was a loud crash, the all looked for the source and found it to be a little girl who had dropped her heavy scales.

"Here you go." Hermione said as she quickly went to work repairing the little girl's scales.

Hermione tapped the scales with the tip of her wand and watch them mend themselves. The girl didn't say anything to Hermione, the girl didn't even move from her spot. Ron looked at her over his shoulder.

"Getting smaller ain't they?" Ron asked.

"I don't care about her." Harry said. "I want to know what Ginny and Dean's row was about."

"Oh, well it was kind of about you." Hermione said.

"What do you mean?"

"Dean laughed at you getting hit by the Bludger." Hermione said.

"It had to have looked funny." Ron said.

"There wasn't anything funny about it." Hermione said. "Harry would have hit the ground if it wasn't for Coote and Peakes."

"They didn't split up over it did they. It would be kind of stupid if they did." Harry said.

"They are still together, why are you so interested?" Hermione asked him.

"I don't want the team messed up again." Harry said. "Ron and Katie being out already messed things up."

Hermione quirked her eyebrow up at him, she knew something was up. She didn't get to press him on the matter because Luna loved good showed up and called his name. Harry turned his back to her.

"Hi Luna," he said.

She mumbled a hello and started to dig through her bag. She handed several odd looking things to Ron, the oddest being something that looked like cat litter. The last thing she pulled out was a scroll. She handed that to Harry.

"I was told to hand that over to you." Luna told him.

"Thanks." Harry said taking the scroll of parchment from her. "I've got another lesson with Dumbledore tonight."

The excitement was clear on his face. He stuffed it in the pocket of his cloak.

"**Nice commentary last match!" **Ron told Luna as she took back most of the things she had shoved in his hands. She smiled.

"You are making fun of me." She said. "I've been told by everyone that I shouldn't be able to do it again."

"Oh no I'm totally serious." Ron said. "I mean you're no Lee Jordan but you were a right sight better than Smith at the last match." He said holding something up.

"That's a Gurdyroot." Luna said. **"You can keep it if you like, I've got a few of them. They're really excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies." **

And with that she walked away. Ron chuckled a bit as he still held the Gurdyroot.

"You know she's kind of grown on me." He said. "I mean she's completely insane but it's in a good way. I'll meet up with you guys later."

He went to greet Lavender who was sitting at the foot of the stair case.

"**Hi," said Ron nervously.**

He hadn't talked to Lavender much since he got poisoned and thought that he wanted another girl. Harry and Hermione continued on to the great hall and left them alone.

"I hope they work things out." Hermione said. "He's so paranoid about everything when it comes to her. I swear if he didn't like her so much and wanted to break things off with her he would be using us as shields from her."

"He likes her too much." Harry said.

"True but has Ron ever really liked a girl?" Hermione asked.

"Not before Lavender."

Hermione's good mood seemed to last all day. She had even helped Harry with his homework from Herbology. Ron had been busy with Lavender.

"Thanks Hermione. What time is it?" Harry asked.

"Seven forty five why?"

"I've got to leave for my lesson with Dumbledore." Harry said. "It starts and eight and I don't want to be late."

"See you later." Hermione mumbled.

Harry hastily stuffed his things into his bag and took it up to his dorm. Hermione grabbed her own things and took them up to her dorm and laid them all out on her bed so she could finish what home work she had left.

The sound of an owl's beak pecking at the window had Hermione attention drawn away from her homework to the window by her bed. She climbed out of the bed and walked over to the window and opened it to allow the tawny owl in. The owl flew in and around her dorm before landing on the bed. Hermione relived the owl of the letter and it flew away.

She sat back against the head board and unfolded the letter. It was from Cedric.

_Hermione,_

_First sorry if the owl that brought this too you woke you up but I had to tell you the news I received today. I was told the principle of the muggle school that I go to that I am high grade point average or GPA (as he referred to it) bracket than I was when I started with the school. He also said that if I had started as a freshman (he's American) that I could be what he called a Valivictiorian,__*****__ I'd like you to explain what that was but I'm guessing it was a good thing._

_~Cedric_

She put the letter away in her trunk with the others and wrote him a reply. She folded it up and put it in her bag so she could send it in the morning. She couldn't go to the owlery right now, it was dark and while Hermione wasn't scared of the dark and could create her own light if she wanted to she wasn't about to go out in the dark where someone could come out from nowhere and attack her.

"Going to bed early?" Lavender asked.

"Yeah, I have nothing else to do and I finished all my work. I'll talk to Harry about his meeting with Dumbledore tomorrow after I send my letter to Cedric." Hermione replied.

"You miss him don't you?"

"Yes but I get to see him again in a few weeks so that won't matter."

"How we still have until June for school to be over."

"The apparition test. I'm meeting him for a butterbeer after I'm finished." Hermione said. "At least that's what we'll do if I'm allowed to but I'm trying not to get my hopes up."

"I hope I could do that. Well I hope Ron and I can sneak off to Madame Puddifoot's for a cup of tea or something."

"Just don't get into trouble." Hermione said. "We only have a year of school left after this one is over and you don't want to do anything that could mess that up."

"I know I have to get good grades if I want McGonagall to write a letter so I can go to the university."

"Why do you want to go there?"

"Because I want to help heal muggle people who really want the help but I won't tell them I'm a witch unless I can tell that their child or they have some kind of magical blood in them." Lavender said. "I'd sell myself as some new age type doctor."

"You could work that even more by copying Professor Trelawney's style."

"I don't think I could do that. Some of the stuff she wears is really hideous and quite scary."

"Yes but it's not all bad." Hermione said. "There are muggle models that wear scarier stuff that Trelawney does."

"I saw this dress in a muggle magazine and the woman was wearing what looked like those cones dogs wear to keep them from biting something." Lavender said. "The whole concept was nice but it looked horrific."

"It was probably couture fashion designer; they seem to be a little odd when designing things because they want to push boundaries but wizard fashion is the same in that aspect."

"I know I saw a knitted dress in Witch Weekly last week that even Ron's mom wouldn't wear. Hell she could probably make a better one."

"Yes she does and she does it without magic."

"Why?"

"She said that using magic doesn't put the warmth into it as a purely behind handmade would and she also said that the magical made ones didn't fight right."


	19. Chapter 19

Hermione was getting annoyed with Harry. He spent the whole week begging Hermione to help him figure out how he should persuade Slughorn to give him the real version of the memory that Dumbledore had showed him. Hermione had told him no several times because she didn't know how to help him. He was no looking at his potions book from cover to cover seeing if there was anything in it that he could use.

"There's nothing in there that you could use." Hermione told him.

"You don't know that Hermione." Harry said. "Ron would be dead if it wasn't for the prince, okay."

"Snape told us about the Bezoars our first year, our first lesson too." Hermione replied.

Harry just ignored her as he moved his finger along the edge of his book like he was reading notes that the prince had made. She noticed that he folded a corner of the page over and closed the book.

They were sitting by the common room fire place. The only ones to remain awake were sixth years and a few of the seventh years that had remained awake because they were too excited about the upcoming Apparition test they would be allowed to take if they were seventeen by the date that had been set, now those who wouldn't be seventeen by that date in particular were a bit upset by this.

However Hermione was excited even thought she didn't really like traveling by apparition. The lessons would take place in Hogsmeade under some heavy supervision. Ron wasn't as excited about it as Hermione and Lavender were because he had yet to Apparate and the girls had both achieved apparition twice and were a little bit more confident about passing the test when the time came.

"I'm going to fail the test I just know it." Ron whined.

"Ron we get it you think you won't pass quit worrying about it. There are other ways to get around if you don't so you won't be completely stranded." Harry said. "I've only done it once by myself but nearly splenched while doing it."

Hermione rolled her eyes it was the third time tonight that Ron had started whining about the upcoming test. He was now rushing to finish his essay for Snape's class. Hermione had already finished hers and was now working on her essay for another class and Harry and Ron put off working on their essays for Snape as long as possible. Harry's attention was on his potions book not the apparition test.

"Harry that book isn't going to help you," Hermione snapped as He started to look through the book again. "There is only way to force someone to do anything and it is illegal."

"Thank you but I already know that." Harry replied looking up at her. "It's why I'm looking for another way in this book. The prince could have put something he created in this very book,"

"You are wrong and you know it," Hermione snapped at him. "That book is dangerous and will get you into trouble if you are not careful."

"It hasn't hurt me yet." Harry told her. "Something would have happened by now if it had."

"Ahh… dang how do you spell belligerent?" Ron asked. "It beeleg—"

"No, it's not spelt that way. And you have augury spelt wrong too.** What kind of quill are you using?"**

"One of Fred and George's spell-check ones, that I got before school started why?" Ron asked.

"I think the charm is wearing off," Hermione said gesturing to Ron's essay. "Because almost every word is spelled wrong and even your name is spelled wrong."

"That sucks, I'm going to have to write the whole bloody thing over again."

"No you won't." Hermione said pulling the essay closer and looking it over. "It will be an easy fix."

"I love you, Hermione." Ron said.

"I hope you mean that in a sisterly way." Lavender said walking up.

"Of course I do." Ron said as Lavender plopped down next to him.

"I've tried to keep him from saying things like that Lavender but the training method I was using is frowned upon by most people." Hermione said.

"What were you using I might need it." Lavender said.

"Water gun, it's a muggle toy that shoots water at people. Muggle kids play with them during the summer to keep cool outside."

"Why not use your wand?" Ron asked.

"Water guns are more exciting to use." Hermione said.

"Maybe I should get them for dad." Ron said with a sheepish grin. "He'd love them."

"Ron your dad loves anything to do with muggles." Lavender said. "I know that and I have yet to meet him."

"That's because Ron's just like him." Harry and Hermione said.

"Here you go Ron," Hermione said. "Your essay is fix you can finish it now."

"You didn't finish it?"

"No you need to do the work otherwise it won't count and you know Snape would find out if you wrote it or not."

Ron rolled his eyes at her statement and asked Harry for his quill so he could use it to finish his essay. He cursed himself as he finished the essay. Hermione hid her smile behind her Ruins book. She had told him several times not to leave the essay to the last minute but Ron like always didn't listen to her.

Crack

Hermione yelled at the sudden appearance of a house elf. Ron shocked by the noise knocked over the ink well soaking his essay in ink.

"**Kreacher,"** Harry yelled.

Kreacher bowed down to Harry as he spoke. "Master said he wanted reports on what the Malfoy boy was doing."

There was another crack and Dobby appeared right next to Kreacher.

"Dobby had come to speak to Harry potter." Dobby squeaked glaring at Kreacher.

The house elf then preceded to yell at the other house elf about how they should've come together and report what they saw together.

"What is this, Harry?" Hermione asked. "Why are they talking about Malfoy?"

Hermione had set her book down on the table and sat a little straighter. She looked from the two house elves and Harry and back again.

"Harry what's going on?" Hermione asked.

"I've been having them follow Malfoy around for me."

"**Night and day," **Kreacher moaned.

"I haven't slept for a week." Dobby said strangely proud. He was swaying on the spot where he was standing.

"Harry you didn't let them sleep?"

"I didn't tell them not to sleep." Harry said. "But did you two find anything out?"

"Master Malfoy moves with the nobility that run in his blood." Kreacher said. "His features—"

"That is not what I meant." Harry said.

"Draco Malfoy is a bad bad boy." Dobby yelled before he started to run for the fire.

"No Dobby." Harry said as he kept the elf from setting himself on fire.

"You don't have to punish yourself anymore." Hermione told him.

Dobby was still struggling against Harry and Trying to throw himself into the fire. Dobby finally started to calm down, while he was okay his tea cozy had didn't survive. It had fallen off his head and into the fire. It took Dobby five more minutes to stop fighting Harry's hold. Harry let him go.

"Dobby finds it hard to speak ill of his old masters." Dobby said. **"But Kreacher should know that Draco Malfoy is not a good master to a house-elf!"**

"Thank you dobby." Harry told him.

Hermione sat up a little straighter because she was still worried that the little elf would try and hurt himself for what he said about Malfoy.

"We don't need to know how much you love Malfoy," Harry said. "Now tell me where you have been following him to."

Kreacher started talking about the things they already knew Malfoy did because it was obvious. They knew where he ate and where he slept because it wasn't like he was going to sleep in a class room, the library or a broom cupboard.

"Dang it Kreacher has he been anywhere he shouldn't be going?" Harry snapped.

"Yes sir, Harry Potter we did," Dobby squeaked. "He hasn't broken any rules but has been going to the seventh floor almost every day and has various people watch the hallway when he enters."

"The Room of Requirement, that's where he's been going," Harry said. "He's been sneaking off to for weeks now. He's been disappearing off the map for weeks now. That's the only place I can think off that he could be going to. The Room of Requirement was never seen on the map."

"Maybe the Marauders never knew about it being there." Ron told them. "It wouldn't be the first time you discovered something they didn't know."

"It's the magic of the room. It's like Sirius house it's unplottable so it doesn't show up on any map no matter who made the map or if it was magical or not." Hermione said.

"Could you see what he was doing?" Harry asked.

"That was impossible." Dobby said. "Doors would never open when he entered."

"It won't be he was able to get in during our DA meetings last year we'll get in this year."

"Harry I don't think you understand how it works." Hermione said. "Malfoy knew how we were using the room; we don't know how he's using it so we don't know what he's using it for he could have it become something that won't allow anyone in while he's occupying the room."

"I still think I can find a way around that." Harry said dismissing what Hermione had just said. "You've done a great job, Dobby."

"Don't forget Kreacher, he's done well too." Hermione told him.

Hermione's nice comment didn't affect the Elf. He in fact just started mumbling hateful things about Hermione talking to him.

Harry told the elves to leave and that they should get some sleep. He turned his attention to Hermione when they were both gone.

"Why did Sirius send the Elf with us again?" Harry asked.

"Well he actually sent him to Hogwarts to work because he didn't want him at the house over hearing things." Hermione replied. "I'm pretty sure you can guess why Kreacher doesn't like me even though Sirius is my dad and I have no use for a House Elf."

"Why? It would make things so much easier." Ron said.

"What would I have a House Elf do something that I can't do for myself?"

"Because it would allow you more free time." Ron countered.

"Only you would want the free time not me and it's not like you could have them do your home work they have spells against that kind of think here. It's why they are House Elves the there to cook and clean work for which I believe they should be paid just like a human would."

"All right guys can we get back to the topic at hand Malfoy and what he's doing in the Room of Requirement."

"Fine but I think you really need to worry about how he's getting all those students to stay outside the room while he's in there." Hermione said. "If there is more than one student guarding him, how many people are involved in this?"

"I agree with that also and I think I have an idea how he's getting several people to help him." Harry said. "And it's so obvious that I'm not sure why I didn't see it before."

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked.

"Polyjuice Potion, he could have nicked some of it after Slughorn showed it to us during the first lesson or made it himself." Harry said. "The two girls I saw with him before that Quidditch match he missed could have been Crabbe and Goyle disguised as girls. That also explains why they weren't happy with him at the first apparition lesson we had."

"**He's got Crabbe and Goyle transforming into girls?" **Ron asked before breaking down and laughing out loud. "How are they not making a fuss about it? I know I would if you wanted me to do that."

"If he's shown them his Dark Mark they wouldn't now would they?" Harry replied.

"That's only if he really has the Dark Mark." Hermione replied. "We have no proof that he has one."

"**We'll see."** Harry said.

"I guess we will." Hermione said gathering up her books. "But harry before you get all hyped up about this information I don't think you will be able to get into the Room of Requirement unless you know what Malfoy is using it for—and I also think that you should focus on finding a way to get the memory from Slughorn not what Malfoy is up to. Now I bid you good night."

She walked away from Harry and Ron and to her dorm. "What d'you think?" she heard Harry ask Ron when he thought she was out of ear shot.

Hermione however didn't sleep well that night. She like Harry was worried about what Malfoy was using the Room of Requirement for. She was known to give someone the benefit of doubt but Draco Malfoy had done and said some shady things that made it almost impossible to give him the benefit of doubt, especially since Malfoy wasn't even allowing his goons Goyle and Crabbe know what he was doing in the room.

Hermione was quiet upset to see later that morning that Harry was planning on using his free period trying to get into the Room of Requirement while Draco was there. Hermione held on interest in his plans and rolled her eyes as he talked about it.

"Hermione I haven't forgotten about Slughorn alright but I haven't gotten a single clue how to get the memory off of him." Harry said. "So until I do I am going to try and figure out what Malfoy is up to."

"I've told you several times how you could persuade Slughorn but you won't listen to me." Hermione replied. "And you can't trick or bewitch him into doing it because he'll expect that you should try and appeal—appeal to his better nature."

"Anyone we know in the Prophet today?" Ron asked as Hermione scanned her copy of the paper.

"One person but he's not dead." Hermione told them. "It was Mundungus, they've said he's been arrested and sent to Azkaban, oh, but that's not the worst thing. A nine year old tired to kill his grandparents. Reports are saying that he was under the Imperious Curse."

Not a single one of them spoke up after that. They ate their breakfast in silence. Hermione bid them good bye and set off immediately for Ancient Runes class. The class was packed when she arrived. She took her seat and waited for her partners to arrive as they had yet to do so.

"Where is Blaise?" Hermione asked.

"He has left Hogwarts, going to America."

Hermione while sad that Blaise was gone –because he had become a friend—she was happy to see him go and be with the one he loves. It was something Hermione wish she had the guts to do but knew she couldn't pull off because she knew how much her education would help her in her life after Hogwarts and there is only one thing that could keep her from going back to Hogwarts and that hasn't happened.

Once her Ruins class was over Hermione made a bee-line for her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. There was a line when she arrived as Snape had yet to open the door to allow them in.

"Ron," Hermione called. "Where is Harry?"

"I don't know he didn't come back to the common room with me." Ron replied. "He's probably watching for Malfoy or something."

"You're probably right." Hermione said. "He is going to end up in trouble doing that."

Just then Snape opened the door and told them to enter.

"Where is Potter?" He asked them.

No one answered. They didn't want to and it wasn't like Snape really wanted them to answer. Silently she sat down in her seat next to Ron and waited for Harry to arrive. Harry had finally arrived to class a few minutes later pulling his book out of his bag.

"You are late again Potter." Snape said in his usual cold tone when talking to Harry. **"Ten points from Gryffindor." **

Harry sent a scowl in the professor's direction and took his seat beside Ron. Harry wasn't the only one still organizing his things as a few other people had arrived just before him but weren't counted as being late.

"I would like your dementors essays before start with today's lesson." Snape said and with a flick of his wand twenty-five scrolls of parchment flew through the air and landed in a pile on Snape's desk. "I do hope that they are better than the tripe you all wrote on the Imperius Curse for your sakes."

Snape finished his statement by telling them to open their books to a certain page.

"What do you need Mr. Finnegan?"

"Um… Sir, I was wondering how you tell the difference between a Inferi and Ghost?" Seamus asked. "Because the paper said something—"

"No Inferi have been used." Snape said.

"But sir, I've heard—"

"Finnegan if you had read the whole article you would have learned that a thief was behind that scare."

"Harry don't do it." Hermione whispered.

"Shouldn't you be on Mundugus's side he's on our side after all." Harry said ignoring Hermione's plee to stop. **"Shouldn't he be upset Mundungus has been arrest**—**"**

"But Potter seems to have a lot to say why don't you ask him what the difference is between an Inferius and a ghost."

The whole class seemed to turn as one and looked at Harry, who's mind seemed to be racing as each set of eyes turned on him.

"Uh… Well sir ghost are transparent." Harry replied.

"Oh that's very good potter." Snape said. "Clearly the six years of magical education that you have received were a waste if you could only tell us that ghost are transparent."

Pansy Parkinson giggled out loud at Snape's comment. Hermione wished she had ear plugs and Pansy's giggle was high pitched and grated on her nerves like cheese on a grater.

"You didn't let me finish, yes ghost are transparent but Inferi –things that a lot of people worry about—are dead bodies used to do someone's bidding."

"A first year could have told me that much potter." Snape snapped. "An Inferius is a corpse that has been reanimated by a dark wizard's spell so there for it is dark magic. It is very much like a puppet without the strings."

Snape didn't stop there.

"Also what potter didn't tell you about a ghost but that you all surely know is that a ghost is the imprint of a departed soul left here on earth."

"What Harry said would help us no matter what." Ron said. "We aren't going to stop in a dark alley and ask someone if they are an imprint of some departed soul we are going to check if they are transparent or not, that is if we hadn't already booked it the hell out of there."

Hermione hid her laugh at what Ron said but Snape was not happy and everyone could clearly see this.

"That will be ten more points from Gryffindor," Snape said. "But I wouldn't expect anything from the boy who couldn't even Apparate an inch across the room."

"No!" Hermione snapped just so harry could hear. "If you do that you will only cause yourself more trouble which you don't need right now. Now leave it."

"Now open your books to the page listed on the board and read the first two paragraphs on the Cruciatus curse and then re write them in your own words."

Ron seemed cool during the rest of class. When the bell rang at the end of the lesson Ron bolted from the class room. Lavender ran to catch up with him leaving Harry and Hermione in her dust. Hermione figured Ron's sullen mood had come from the fact Snape was poking fun at his apparition skills.

"I'll catch you later," Harry said told Hermione going in the direction of Ron.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

"I have to talk to Ron about something. Hopefully I can drag him away from Lavender." Harry replied.

"Good luck with that." Hermione said.

She went up the stairs to the common room to get a book for her next class and some parchment since she was now lacking it. She was stopped mid way up the stairs by Lavender.

"Do you know why Ronald is pushing me away?" Lavender asked.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"He won't talk to me."

"Give him some time to get over his embarrassment of Snape making fun of him in front of the whole class which is so wrong in of its self." Hermione said.

"But I want him to talk to me."

"You need to give him time because if you continue to push yourself on him you will only push him away." Hermione replied. "I'm sorry I'd like to talk more but I have a class to get to."

Hermione felt bad for leaving lavender there but she didn't have a class to get to. She got to the class ant it seemed to pass faster than it normally did because she didn't want it to end. She was told to write an essay so once the class was over she headed straight for the library to start her research. But she didn't get much done because she had to hear two third year Ravenclaw girls talk about boys very loudly. _"But I thought he like me,"_ she heard one say. It went back and forth like that for an hour before Hermione finally gave up and left the library planning to come back at another time.

"Hey Hermione where were you?" Ginny asked.

"Library but I left. Too much boy talk going on for me to concentrate." Hermione replied. "What about you?"

"Hanging out with Dean but we had another row so I left him to hang out with Finnegan all by himself." Ginny said. "But that shouldn't be a problem for Dean since see seems to want to spend all his time with him any way."

"Do you still want to date him?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not really sure." Ginny said.

"Well think about that you don't want to drag him along and wind up with nothing but a broken heart." Hermione told her. "If you do break things off make it clear to him that you still like him just not as more than a friend no matter how cheesy that sounds."

"I know it just…"

"Sucks," Hermione said. "Yeah I know. I've been on Dean's side of things but the guy didn't take my feelings into account."

The next weekend, Hermione and Ron (and really all the student's who would be seventeen in time) left for Hogsmeade for a lesson on apparition. Hermione could tell Harry was disappointed watching them all get ready to leave the castle for the village; she also knew he hated feeling like he was trapped inside the grounds. And with the weather being as nice as it was for the first time in a long while Hermione couldn't blame him for being disappointed.

Hermione also knew that Harry was going to put his attention on getting into the Room of Requirement and find out what Draco was up to instead of getting the memory from Slughorn.

"Come on Harry you should be getting that memory from Slughorn not stalking Malfoy." Hermione hissed at harry.

"**I've been trying."** Harry snapped at her.

"I'm not sure you have." Hermione said. "Ever since Dobby told you where Malfoy was going you've been obsessed."

"I'm not obsessed and I have been trying." Harry told her. **"He doesn't want to talk to me,** he avoids me at all cost now a days. Heck it's even been weeks since he's had one of those dinner parties."

"You shouldn't wait for one of those stupid dinners." Hermione said.

"Hermione I'm telling you he doesn't want to talk to me." Harry said. "He leaves the class room before the students do at the end of every class."

"Then you should just keep at it now shouldn't you."

The queue of people waiting to leave moved forward just a little bit. It was taking longer to get in or out of the castles these days because Filch had to run his Secrecy Sensor over everything. Harry chose not to answer her back on the Slughorn matter but did wish her and Ron good luck. Hermione turned from Harry and stepped toward Filch so he could run the Secrecy Sensor over her. She was cleared to go and a few minutes after her so was Ron.

Once outside of the Hogwarts grounds Hermione, Ron and all the other seventeen year olds who had yet to take the apparition test headed to the testing area where they would be taking their next lesson. The lesson was hard but a few people moved beyond the wooden hoops they had them start in.

"Okay students quiet down now. You are all doing much better than the last time I was here. You just have to remember the three D's and you will do perfectly when the time to take the test comes." Twycross said. "You are dismissed."

"Come on let's go get a butter beer before we go back up to the castle." Ron said.

"Just one," Hermione said. "You should ask Lavender to come."

The three of them walked over to Three Broomsticks. Ron was holding Lavender's hand.

"You guys get the table I'll get the Butterbeers." Hermione said when they stepped inside.

She walked up to the bar where Madam Rosmerta was cleaning some glasses.

"What can I get you deary?" She asked Hermione.

"Three Butterbeers," Hermione told her handing her the money for them.

Madam Rosmerta set three Butterbeers in front of Hermione and went to help another customer. Hermione grabbed them and went in search of Ron and Lavender. She did not have to that far to find them. They were making out at a table two rows away from the bar. The only pulled away when she dropped their bottles in front of them.

"A little bit too much." Hermione commented. "And hurry up and drink that we have to be back before the gates closed and I don't know when that is."

"You know you don't have to be a good-girl all the time Hermione." Lavender said.

"I don't have to be one but I'd rather be one the opposite."

Hermione stood up and left. She heard Ron tell a joke to a passing Rosmerta. Lavender and Ron had come running up behind her when she got to the gates. There were a few others walking the same way as them. She walked ahead of most them because she would rather not hear them talk about everything.

It was nearly lunch time so Hermione was happy to get back. Her stomach was salivating at the food that waited for her since she hadn't eaten much that morning.

"I'm surprised to see you waiting for us." Hermione told Harry.

"I got bored." Harry replied.

Hermione felt like Harry was lying.

"We better go now lunch is halfway through." Harry said. "You can tell me all about your lesson though."

Ten minutes later they were sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ron telling his version of the lesson which was surprisingly accurate. Hermione kept silent and let Ron talk while she ate.

"That's great," Harry said. "So how did you do Hermione?"

Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Ron spoke before she could.

"Oh she did perfectly." Ron said. "Concentrated on the three D's no doubt. She had Twycross talking about her before we left to get a drink at Three Broomsticks."

"Were you up at the RoR all this time?" Hermione asked.

"Yes and I told you I got bored." Harry said.

"I think that there is more to it."

"Nothing more than I ran into talks as I was leaving."

"What was she doing up there?" Hermione asked.

"She said she came to visit Dumbledore." Harry said.

"**If you ask me," **Ron said.** "She's cracking up a bit. Losing her nerve after what happened at the Ministry."**

"That is a bit odd," Hermione said.

"She's supposed to be guarding the school, but now she's leaving her post to come here to see Dumbledore when he's not even around to meet with her." Harry said.

"Harry there could be many reasons why she left her post." Hermione countered. "She feels really bad that she's the reason Sirius got hurt so bad last summer."

"She couldn't I don't know in love with Sirius could she?"

Hermione scowled at him. **"What on earth makes you say that?"**

"I guess because she started crying when I mentioned his name." Harry said. "And her Patronus is a large four-legged creature now. I just wondered if it had become him."

"I don't think so." Hermione said. "She seemed perfectly fine the last time I seen her at Grimmauld Place and I don't think that she would come to Dumbledore if she was in love with him but I do think that there is someone she really likes but it's not Sirius."

"It still goes back to what I said." Ron said. **"She's gone a bit funny,** since last summer."

"And yet you moped the whole way back to the castle because Madam Rosmerta didn't laugh at your joke." Hermione said. "And the joke about the hag, healer and the Mimbulus Mimbletonia isn't that funny."


	20. Chapter 20

The patches of bright blue sky didn't help Hermione's mood all that much. Sirius had written a letter letting her know that she was to remain at Hogwarts during his _arrest_ and trial. Hermione would not remain in school during spring break under the guise that she would be going to her mother's grave.

She sat just outside the great hall waiting for Professor McGonagall to escort her to the Hogsmeade station where the train will be waiting to take her (and the few student's being pulled out of school) to Kings Cross.

She would be alone from that moment on but she was seventeen now and allowed to use magic. She only hopped that she would make it to the hearing in time but she wasn't sure when it would be because she didn't know when Sirius would be arrested.

When the train pulled to a stop Hermione made her way to the Leaky Caldron and booked a room for the night under an assumed name. Her room was surprisingly clean. She set her bag down onto the bedside table and climbed into bed.

She fell asleep when her head hit the pillow and remained asleep until an owl swooped into her room and hooted loudly to wake her up and left a letter behind.

_Hermione,_

_Hagrid might be a little upset when you get back. Aragog died the night before last. He wants you, Ron and I to attend a funeral for him. Ron doesn't want to go because Aragog was a giant spider and he doesn't like spiders at all when they are small. _

_I'm not sure if I'll go or not. I guess it depends on the feeling I get. Right now I don't really feel like going near Aragog even if he's dead because the last time I saw him things didn't end so great. Let me know how things go with Sirius as soon as they happen otherwise I'll worry the whole time you're gone._

_Harry_

_P.S. Write every night so we know you are doing okay._

Hermione smiled at the note. Harry really acted like the brother she never had. She quickly wrote a letter to Hagrid telling him how sorry she was to hear about Aragog. She then wrote a letter to Cedric and let him know since he was close to Hagrid like a lot of students. She also asked if he wanted to meet up some time during her spring term break.

After she finished writing everyone she went back to bed. She was woken up again by loud shouting and some screaming. She thought that it was an attack on Diagon Alley until she heard Sirius's name mentioned. She ran to her window to look out at nearly empty street below where Sirius and Snape stood in a mock standoff.

The standoff was quickly followed by a short duel ending with Snape carting Sirius off to the ministry of magic. Hermione grabbed her bag and quickly followed. She jumped into the phone booth and dialed the number that she had seen Harry use the summer before.

"Sorry ma'am we can't accept visitors at this time."

"I think I may be able to help in the Sirius Black trial." Hermione said. "I've heard rumors that he was arrested please I really want to help."

Hermione was given a badge that stated she was there to testify in Sirius's trial. She took the badge and pinned it to her shirt. She was then lowered into the ministry of magic. She went to the check in desk where they ran her wand before telling that he was in one of the lower courtrooms.

She had almost made it to the court room when Remus stopped her.

"Hermione what are you doing here?" Remus asked.

"I'm here to help Sirius." Hermione replied "And you won't stop me."

"Sirius wanted you to stay at Hogwarts."

"I know that but I couldn't just sit and wait to hear what happen. I had to do what I could to help. I'm surprised Harry didn't try to leave Hogwarts like I did." Hermione said. "But I think his lessons with Dumbledore had something to do with that."

"Fine follow me." Remus said.

He walked her toward a door with an official looking man standing outside of it.

"Sorry you can't go in there." The man said.

"We are witnesses to Sirius Blacks defense we have to be in there or do you want the press to think that you punish people for things they didn't do because anyone can go back and find out that Sirius didn't get a trial when he was originally charged."

"Fine but keep quiet until you are called. So I'll need your names."

"Remus John Lupin and Hermione Jean Granger," Remus told the man.

They stood there as he wrote their names down on a long list of names. Once he was done he opened the door and allowed them to walk in. There were high benches on either side of the room. It was spooky and cold and the dark pain didn't help matters much.

"Come on let's sit in the front." Remus said.

Hermione followed him. They sat down right where the chair where the witness or the accused would sit while being questioned. She looked around as saw nobody but people in red and black robes.

"Are they the ones that decide what happens to Sirius?" Hermione asked.

"It will either be them the head of magical law enforcement or the minister of magic."

"And this could take hours?"

"Typically yes, because they also have to question Fudge because he didn't give Sirius a trial the last time and they also want to make sure that Sirius is fit for the outside world which we know he is but they don't."

"Order in the court," Percy Weasley called. "Please stand in honor of the Minister of Magic and Magical Law Enforcement."

"Settle down now." Scrimgeour said. "We have things to get done. The accused is one Sirius Orion Black charged with the murders of several muggles and one Wizard and the escape from Azkaban. Where is he?"

The rear door was thrown open and in walked Sirius with his hands bound in ropes and Severus Snape trailing behind him.

"Sorry I'm late minister he tried to escape again." Snape said leading Sirius to the chair.

Snape forces Sirius to sit down in the chair. He removed the ropes and Sirius was immediately chained to the chair. Hermione wanted to run over to him but knew she couldn't do that.

"Mr. Weasley administer the Veritiserum please." Scrimgeour said.

Hermione watched Percy as he walked over to Sirius slowly and gave him the potion before running away.

"Please state your name for the record."

"Sirius Orion Black," Sirius said.

"Do you understand what you have been charged with?"

"Yes I do and I have witnesses to say I am only guilty of one of those crimes."

"And which one is that?"

"Escaping from Azkaban."

"You are guilty of a prison escape but not the crime that landed you in that prison in the first place?"

"I am not guilty of murder." Sirius said.

"And you have proof of this?"

"Yes, I have my witnesses and my memories."

"We'll speak with your witnesses first." Scrimgeour said. "And I'll call a Remus Lupin down first."

Remus left Hermione sitting there. He walked out on to the floor and stood next to Sirius's chair.

"State your name."

"Remus John Lupin."

"How do you know the accused?"

"We are friends and we went to school together."

"Did you help him escape from Hogwarts when he had been caught?"

"No I did not. I was transformed at the time." Remus replied. "Severus can testify to that fact because he prevented several students from getting attack by me."

"Do you believed he is the reason twelve muggles and one wizard are dead?"

"No I do not. I know for a fact that the wizard in question is alive and well." Remus said.

"Then explain why only his finger was found?"

"He transformed into a rat." Remus said "He is an unregistered animagus."

"That is all we need from you please take a seat." Scrimgeour said. "Hermione Granger please come forward."

Sirius started to look around for Hermione. She stood up and walked slowly out to the floor. Remus wished her good luck as he passed her. Hermione took a deep breath and continued walking.

"Miss Granger please state your name for the Record."

"Hermione Jean Granger,"

"How do you know that accused?"

"He's my father, I met him my third year at Hogwarts when he came to Peter Pettigrew attacking Harry Potter. I learned he was my father last year after my mother passed."

"He did not harm you in any way or force you to come here today?"

"He in fact told me to stay at Hogwarts but I didn't listen. I had to help him anyway I could." Hermione said. "And once his innocence is proven I plan to take him to see my mother."

"Your mother is dead,"

"I know that and people go to visit the grave sites of their loved ones all the time." Hermione replied.

"You weren't given Veritiserum so how do we know you are telling the truth?"

"I have my memories." Hermione said.

"Would you show them to us?"

"Of course I would be willing to show them. I wouldn't have mentioned them if I wasn't going to let you see them." Hermione said.

Sirius snickered and Snape slapped him on the back of his head.

"Do you have something to add Mr. Black?" Scrimgeour asked.

"No sir." Sirius replied.

"Then come and sit in this chair here." Scrimgeour said pointing to a chair to the side of where he was sitting.

Hermione did as she was told and listened as Scrimgeour explained what was going to happen. A woman in ministry robes stepped up and pressed their wand to Hermione's temple. Hermione heard her whispered something before she felt like something was being dragged from inside her temple.

Once the woman was done she walked over to some weird contraption that looked like a movie projector. The woman messed with it for a few minutes and soon Hermione's memories were playing like a movie on the large white screen. They showed every memoire she had of Sirius Black.

"Thank you for sharing your memories." Scrimgeour said.

Hermione nodded and sat back down next to Remus.

"Mr. Black we've seen your daughters memories we need to see yours."

Sirius stayed chained to the chair when his memories were taken. They showed many of the same memories as Hermione's did but from a different view. The hardest one for Hermione to watch was the one where they showed Sirius finding James's body. Remus comforted her as best as he could because was having trouble seeing one of his best friends bodies like that. The last memory shown was that of Peter Pettigrew alive and well at Hogwarts during her third year.

"Well I think we have everything we need. Please remove the accused and everyone but I and my colleagues will need to leave."

Hermione stood up and followed Remus out the door. She sent a smile to Sirius before he was removed to another area away from the public. She and Remus sat down on a bench just outside of the court room.

"How long do you think we'll have to wait?" Hermione asked Remus.

"I don't know. Sometimes it takes only minutes sometimes it takes hours and I heard one time that it took days." Remus said. "But Sirius will be okay and I think you being here helped him even though he didn't want you here."

"I knew he would have you but I still couldn't let him go through it without me here." Hermione said. "I would have regretted it if I didn't come see him."

Sirius sat in the small anteroom next to the court room. Only Snape and a Magical Law Enforcement officer were in the room with him. Snape had been quiet since he arrested Sirius in Diagon alley. Sirius hadn't spoken to anyone since he gave his side of things.

"Mr. Black they are ready," a woman in read robes said.

Snape pulled him up from his seat with the help of the MLE officer. He was led back to the same court room he had left hours before and was forced to sit in the same chair. The witnesses were called back in. Sirius watched as Hermione and Remus sat down in the same spot she had earlier. Then slowly one by one the men and women in robes of red, black and gray walked in and sat down behind Scrimgeour.

"Now to recap we are here for the trial of accused Mass Murder Sirius Orion Black." Scrimgeour said. "We have been provide testimony from four different sources about the situation including black himself."

Sirius rolled his eyes. He didn't think that they had to go over every single thing recapping it. Snape smacked him on the back of the head. Sirius groaned and leaned forward to get out of Snape's line of fire.

"From all the evidence provided we have come to the conclusion that one Sirius Black is not guilty of the crimes he was convicted of. He will be allowed to go free with a fine of ten thousand Galleons to pay for the search for him after his escape."

"Excuse me but the ministry actually owes him money. He wasn't given a trial the first time and spent twelve years in jail for a crime he didn't commit." Hermione said. "One of your own laws says that he gets a hundred Galleons for every day he spent in jail. That would make his pay out from you guys 438,000 Galleons or 428,000 Galleons if you really want to make him pay that ten thousand Galleons."

The color drained from Scrimgeour's face he knew the seventeen year old girl was right. He turned around and spoke with those sitting behind him after about ten minutes turned back around to face Sirius.

"We amend that Mr. Black is free to go with an award of 428,000 Galleons and wave the fine." Scrimgeour said. He bang the gavel and added. "You may go."

Sirus and Hermione left the ministry of magic for the cemetery that Hermione's mother was buried to do what Hermione said she had missed school to do. Remus had said his good bye outside of the ministry so he wasn't with them.

Hermione took the bunch of flowers that Sirius stopped to get and set them on her mother's tombstone.

"When do you have to go back?" Sirius asked as they left the cemetery.

"Tomorrow," Hermione said. "I am still surprised they let me come out here."

"Thank you for coming." Sirius said.

"I had to come."

* * *

**Please Leave a review. I'm losing faith in this story and that might make me extend the time in between postings or just stop them completely.**


	21. Chapter 21

"I don't want to see you go Hermione but you have to go." Sirus said. "Besides the news of my exoneration by the help of a child hood friend and my daughter will have broken and I want you safely away at Hogwarts when that happens."

"I'm surprised it hasn't already." Hermione replied.

"Bad news travels faster." Sirius said. "And my being exonerated isn't bad news."

"It certainly isn't."

"Sorry to break you two up but Hermione's train is here and she needed to go." Regulaus said.

Hermione hugged Sirius, Remus and Regulaus one last time before climbing on the train back to Hogwarts. She sat alone in a compartment. She pulled out a copy of a Jane Austen book she had since she was eight years old. By the time she got to the part where Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth the first time the train was pulling into the Hogsmeade station.

She was greeted by professor McGonagall.

"Sirius has already sent word." The woman replied. "It'll be good for him to be able to walk around in open air without risk of being arrested."

"I know. If it wasn't for the public not knowing yet he would have went dancing down the street I'm sure." Hermione said. "Have there been any changes in security?"

"No but we will be using the Floo." McGonagall said. "There has been a small connection made to my office for just a few moments so we need to hurry."

Hermione nodded and rushed after her professor. The professor went first followed quickly by Hermione.

"Well you arrived much cleaner than Mr. Potter did after Christmas."

"That sounds like Harry but he prefers the broom."

"And what do you prefer?"

"The train or if I have to rely on myself Apparition, I don't like heights so a broom would be out of the question."

"Interesting but enough about that, I'm sure Misters Potter and Weasley will be waiting to hear how everything went." Professor McGonagall said.

"Thank you Professor." Hermione replied.

She left the professors office and went in hunt of Ron, Harry, and Ginny and tell them about Sirius but didn't find them as it was late.

The next morning Hermione woke up early and went looking for them. She had the greatest news in a long line of horrible news to tell them She didn't find them in any of the public castle areas and figured that they would be in the common room.

"Ginny there you are I've been looking for you everywhere." Hermione said. "Where are Harry and Ron?"

"Over by the fire, they were arguing about something Harry needs to ask Slughorn about." Ginny said. "Completely pointless if you ask me. You won't get anything from that man."

"I agree all though he would gladly accept something from you." Ginny said. "What did you want?"

"Well it's something that I want to tell you and the boys together. So let me get one of them." Hermione said.

Hermione walked over to the fireplace and snuck up behind the two boys and placed her hands on their shoulders –effectively scarring them.

"Hermione, when did you get back?" Harry asked.

"Just now." Hermione told them.

"What about Padfoot?"

"Come with me over to Ginny and I'll tell you." Hermione replied. She left the two boys over to where Ginny was sitting.

They got up from their cozy seats by the fire and quickly followed their best friend. They sat down in the only two chairs left around the table Ginny had been sitting.

"So are you going to tell us now or what?" Harry said. "How did the hearing turn out?"

"It went well." Hermione said. "Sirius is free and cleared of all charges. He was made to pay a small fine for the search effort put in to find him because they thought him to be a mass murder."

"So he's free?"

"Yep but he hasn't been out much because the press has yet to report it but I suspect a story will be in the prophet in the next couple of days because of a letter I sent anonymously just before I left for Kings Cross."

"Sirius doesn't know?" Ron asked.

"No and he thinks that the press will hound me once they find out about my being his daughter." Hermione said. "The only one I would be worried about is Rita for obvious reasons."

"It'll get her off everyone else back for a while but I would hate to learn what she says about you, your mom and or Sirius." Harry replied. "You saw what she did with the tournament."

"That is going to suck." Hermione said. "But at least we know how to fight her."

"How?" Ron asked.

"Stock up on bug repellent." Hermione replied.

"What would that have to do with anything?" Ron replied.

"Well Ron if you had remembered you would realize that Rita can turn into a beetle a type of bug."

"She's an animagus?" Ron asked.

"I've told you that before but yes she is and she is also not registered." Hermione said. "I can always report her to the animagus registration board."

"How much trouble would she get into?" Ginny asked. "There has to be something right?"

"The punishment ranges from a small fine to a one or three week stay in Azkaban." Hermione said. "Oh Harry I forgot Sirius told me to give you this."

Hermione had pulled a letter out from her bag and pushed it over to Harry.

"I have no idea what it says but Sirius said it was for your eyes only." Hermione replied. "So how is the Slughorn thing going?"

"I haven't done much with it." Harry replied. "Slughorn has been avoiding me like I have the black plague. I have even started using my invisibility cloak and he still manages to get away from me."

"He's telling the truth on that one Hermione. Slughorn has even avoided me." Ron said. "He probably thinks that I'm trying to help Harry somehow, which I am doing of course."

"I could try if you wanted me to." Ginny said. "It wouldn't be any trouble."

"I have to do it." Harry said.

"You have to get that memory, Harry; it's the key to Voldemort." Hermione said. "Everything happing now is partially because of that memory."

The bell rang sending several students scattering to their classes.

"Why do you look so terrified?" Hermione asked Ron.

"We have the apparition test today," Ron replied.

"**You do fine,"** Harry told Ron. "The most you lost last time was an eyebrow."

"Yeah and if I lose one during the test I'll fail and have to wait to take the test again." Ron said.

"And you think I don't worry about that?" Hermione asked him. "Come on we better get going."

Hermione and Ron went down to Hogsmeade with the others taking the test. Even thought there were many that needed to be tested they went one by one. Hermione went before Ron and passed with flying colors. She chose to stay and support Ron. She didn't get to see him go though the test just like he didn't get to see her.

She sat at a table with Lavender and waited for Ron.

"I hope he did okay." Lavender said.

"I hope he did too but with Ron's nerves who knows what's going to happen." Hermione replied.

"When's Cedric supposed to be here?"

"I don't know. He had to go on a trip for his school but he said he would try and sneak away if he could." Hermione said.

"I think he made it," Lavender said. "Isn't that him over there by the door?"

"I think it is." Hermione said as Cedric started to walk over.

"Sorry it took so long. My group went to see some film and I said I didn't feel well and went back to the hotel."

"Sneaky," Hermione said. "So how long do you have?"

"Three hours. They went to a double feature I think they called it. What are you doing?"

"Waiting for Ron,"

"Well here he comes," Lavender said. "I can't tell if he passed or not."

"I think he would rush over and tell you if he did." Hermione replied. "Or maybe he's just shocked that he actually passed on the first try. It's like muggle teenagers they have to take a test before they can drive a car and not everyone passes the first time."

"You have to take a test so you can drive?" Cedric asked.

"Yeah you do and it's very much like the apparition test except the examiner is in the car with you."

"I don't think I would have passed if I had to do a side along apparition." Cedric replied.

"What are you doing here Cedric?" Ron asked walking up to the table with butterbeer in hand.

"Stopped by to see Hermione and see how she did with the apparition test." Cedric replied. "How did you do?"

"Uh…"

Later that afternoon Ron and Hermione arrived back at the castle.

"Harry I passed." Hermione cried when she spotted him. "And Ron did to."

"You did?" Harry asked Ron.

"I know I was surprised that I passed to." Ron said.

"Where's Lavender I thought she went with you?" Harry asked.

"One of her friends and a boy emergency," Ron said. "Did you get anywhere with Slughorn?"

"I tried and failed." Harry said. "It's almost like he has a tracking device on me and hurries from the room whenever I appear unless it's a class period."

"That sucks." Ron said. "Have you thought of any other way to get the memory?"

"I don't know." Harry said. "It's probably going to take a stroke of luck for me to get the memory."

"That's it Harry." Hermione said. "Luck all you need is a bit of luck and you have a bottle of that in your trunk."

Harry didn't reply he just seemed to go into a trance.

"Harry are you going to use your Felix Felicis or not?" Ron asked.

"I don't think I have any other choice and I don't have to drink the whole thing. Only enough for one or two hours should be good."

"**It's a great feeling when you take it," Ron said. **"Like there isn't anything you can't do."

"How would you know, you've never taken it." Hermione said.

"But I thought that I had." Ron said. "And don't think that it can be that different from the real thing."

They spent the next few hours talking about what Harry was going to do. It was finally decided that he would take the potion not long after it had gotten dark, after he had taken the potion he would sneak out of the common room under his invisibility cloak and over to Slughorn's classroom.

When the time came the trio escaped up to Harry and Ron's dorm. Harry rummaged around in his trunk for the rolled-up pair of socks that held the potion he was going to take.

He uncorked the little bottle.

"Here it goes." Harry said before he took a small gulp.

"Do you feel any different?" Hermione asked.

Harry didn't answer at first.

"Not really," Harry replied. "I do feel a bit warmer and now I have the vague feeling I should go to Hagrid's."

"You can't go you need to find Slughorn and get that Memory." Hermione snapped.

"I'm going to Hagrid's I have the feeling I should go to Hagrid's and I am going." Harry told them.

"IT's that stinking spider ain't it?" Ron asked.

"Well yeah, we didn't go to the burial of the spider and I figure I could at least before for Hagrid now." Harry said pulling the invisibility cloak out of his bag. "I just feel like that Hagrid's hut is the place to be tonight."

"Harry you have to be careful." Hermione said. "Who knows how long the Felix Felicis will last."

"Yeah you have to be careful mate." Ron told him.

Harry just laughed at them. Hermione and Ron retuned his laugh with a look that said they thought that he was crazy.

"Trust me, I'll be fine," He told them. "I have the Felix Felicis on my side tonight." He walked over to the door. "I know what I'm doing the right thing."

Harry threw the cloak over himself and started down the stairs, Ron and Hermione hurried along behind him. Harry slipped through the open door when he got to the bottom of the stairs. He bumped into Lavender.

"What was that?" Lavender asked.

"It was Harry." Ron whispered. "He's going to see Slughorn about something."

"Oh, Have you seen Pavarti, Claire is still crying her eyes out."

"She went to get something from the dorm." Hermione replied. "At least that's where she was headed the last I saw her."

Getting Harry out of the common room was easy. He climbed into the portrait hole himself but bumped into Ginny as he did it. Ginny snipped at Dean thinking it was him. Hermione wanted to point out that it wasn't Dean that had bumped into her but she thought it wise to keep what Harry was up to quiet. Hermione and Ron went to sit by the fire place with Lavender when the Portrait swung closed behind him.

"I hope it goes well," Hermione whispered. "A potion could only do so much."

"He'll be fine Hermione. Mind you Hermione he doesn't have old Voldie on his tail this time, only Flitch."

"True." She replied. "But there are so many things that could go wrong."

Just then an owl swooped into the room, dropped a letter into Hermione's lap and swooped right back out. Hermione grabbed the letter and opened it.

"It's from my dad." Hermione told Ron and Lavender.

"You should probably go to your dorm to read that in privet." Ron said.

"Why I won't say anything?" Lavender said.

"It's because of who her dad is. Not very many people know who he is." Ron Replied.

"Oh, he's not dangerous or anything is he?" Lavender asked.

"He isn't but people thought that he was." Hermione replied. "But it's going to come out in the papers soon and everyone will know about it. I'm pretty sure I won't want to leave the dorm."

"That bad," Lavender asked.

"Yeah it is," Hermione replied. "I mean he's broken rules before but he certainly isn't what everyone thought he was."

"So how different was he from what people thought?" Lavender asked.

"He's a bit like Harry actually or Harry is like him," Ron said.

"I'm going to go to bed." Hermione said. "We don't know when Harry'lll be back and I want to get some sleep."

They bid their goodnights and Hermione left them there by the fire. She climbed into bed and read the letter.

_Hermione,_

_I've gotten word from a friend at the prophet that the story of my innocence will be published tomorrow._

_Dad_


	22. Chapter 22

**SIRIUS BLACK: ACCUSED MASSMURDER FOUND INNOCENT**

**_Written by: Jolene Kade_**

**_Photograph by: Katie Reynolds_**

_We here at the prophet are shocked and happy to announce the innocence of one Sirius Black. We received the news anonymously a day ago and worked around the clock to prove that it was true. It took the ministry officials hours to confirm what our anonymous source said._

_As the ministry officials have told us Black's trial was held after he was put under a citizen's arrest by Severus Snape in Diagon Alley. After the arrest Black was taken to the ministry where a trial was immediately held. Only three witnesses testified in the trial. The first was Severus Snape, the second Black's child hood friend werewolf Remus Lupin and the last one was Hermione Granger a young girl believed to be Sirius's daughter._

_After a brief period of deliberation Black was deemed innocent of all charges and ordered to pay a small fine for manhunt for him after he had escaped from Azkaban Prison. The fee was later waived because of the years that he spent in Azkaban as an innocent man._

_We have not been able to acquire an interview with Black or his daughter or even his childhood friend. As we've said above we are proud and shocked and happy to report that Sirus Black is Innocent of the murders he was convicted of._

_On another note there have been several charges filed against Ministry workers involved in Black's conviction fifteen years ago. The ministry has yet to report the names of those charged let alone how many will or have been charged._

**Sirius**

"I can't believe it brother you are innocent." Regulaus said.

"Reg I've known all along I was innocent." Sirius replied.

"Yes I know that but now the public knows you are innocent." Regulaus replied. "You can go outside without risk of being arrested without being a dog."

"I know, if I do go outside it won't before fun. There is too much fighting going on for me to be having fun." Sirus said. "But I don't think that I will be going out anytime soon unless I have to because of the press."

"That is going to suck." Regulaus said.

An own flew in and dropped a letter in front of Sirius. Sirius quickly grabbed it and ripped it open. It was from Hermione.

_Dad,_

_We read the article word for word. I have people coming up to me asking why I don't have the same last name as you. I told them that my mother thought you were dead and end up married to someone else shortly before I was born. It was the closest to the truth that I could get and frankly I don't want everyone to have the details anyway and I have no idea who I could trust in this school right now. You after all know that you never know how someone is going to turn out._

_I have got class to get to now._

_Hermione_

Sirus smiled as he read the letter. They would be able to go out and get to know each other more now. He folded the letter up and stuffed it into his breast pocket so he could put it away later.

"I am guessing that letter was from Hermione," Regulaus said.

"Yes it was from her." Sirius replied. "She said she read the article. I'm just waiting for the press to hound us."

"Go to Diagon Alley and I'm sure they will."

"Well I've been up all night I'm going to sleep." Sirius said. "If anymore letters come for me. Stuff them under my door."

"I will but if there are any howlers I am opening them."

"I'll hear them anyway and make sure you keep mum's painting covered. Howlers I can deal with but her I can not deal with." Sirius said walking out of the room.

"You aren't the only one." Regulaus called after him.

Sirius laughed at him and continued on his way to the room. He pulled the wooden box out from the bottom of his closet and put Hermione's letter there with the others. They meant a lot to him and would be the only thing that he would save from the house if it had started to burn down. He wouldn't even save his wand.

He climbed into bed and fell asleep dreamed of years gone bye.

**Weasley's**

"Hermione will be glad to see that." Mrs. Weasley said.

"She sure will mum." Fred said.

"We should send Sirius something for getting his name cleared." George replied.

"Sounds like a good idea but it better not be cruel in nature I will still bend you over my knee if I have to."

**Malfoy's**

"This is wrong. That man should not be free while my husband rots away in jail." Mrs. Malfoy said after she had read the morning paper. In a fit of anger she took the paper and threw it into the nearby fire.

**Voldemort**

Voldemort seethed with anger as he was told of the Morning Prophet's news. He was so angry that he killed three of the men that had been in the room when he was told the news.

**Diggory's**

"I had no clue." Amos said.

"No one knew." Mrs. Diggory replied. "But I do wonder who anyone could have framed him like that."

"Paper didn't say so they must be keeping that close to the chest."

**Hogwarts**

"Student's of Hogwarts as I'm sure you have read or heard about the lead story in this morning's prophet." Professor McGonagall said. "You are to go about your work as normal."

The news of Sirius Black's innocence spread faster than a wild fire from one student's ear to another student's ear in the halls of Hogwarts. Hermione and her small groups of friends already knew this so they didn't see the big deal about the news, Hermione more than most because she was there when Sirius had been declared innocent.


	23. Chapter 23

"I've got more good news for you Hermione." Harry said that morning. "I got the memory last night."

"Really what was it about?" Hermione asked.

"I'll tell you when no one can hear us." Harry replied.

Hermione and Ron learned how Harry got the memory from Slughorn and what it contained later that morning. Horcruxe wasn't a term Hermione had heard before.

"That could be dangerous." Hermione said. "Are you sure you want to go?"

"Wow, if it wasn't for you going to do something dangerous I would be jealous of you." Ron said.

"Ron, you need to watch what you are doing. You're making it snow." Hermione said grabbing his wrist away from the ceiling because sure enough he did make snow fall. Lavender brown had spotted it to and started to laugh because Ron now looked like he had a bad case of dandruff.

"Oh," Ron said as he brushed the snow off of his shoulders. "Lavender, please stop laughing at me," Ron pleaded.

Hermione and Harry cracked up laughing behind Ron. All though Hermione felt a tiny bit guilty about it.

"Will you two stop?" Ron asked.

"No." Harry said. "It is too funny to stop laughing. So what went on with you two last night anyway?"

"They broke up and then got back together about five minutes later." Hermione said.

"Hey we weren't the only ones to break up last night." Ron said.

"But you were the only ones to make up by making out in front of the fire." Hermione said. "Poor Ginny."

"What happen to Ginny?" Harry asked.

"She and Dean split up." Hermione said.

"Why they it didn't seem like they were having problems."

"Oh it was over something rather silly in my opinion." Hermione said. "She said he kept trying to help her into the portrait hole even though she didn't want his help, but apparently they have been rocky for months now."

Hermione watch Harry glance at Dean on the other side of the room. He had a sullen look on his face.

"I guess that puts you into a bit of a bind doesn't it?" Hermione said.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"The Quidditch team," Hermione said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "If Ginny and Dean are no longer speaking then that could cause some problems."

"Oh I guess you are right." Harry said.

"Flitwick's coming." Ron said in a warning tone.

Hermione looked over and sure enough the little Charms Professor was bobbing his way over to them. Harry and Ron had start to grimaced since Hermione was the only one of the three of them to turn vinegar into wine. The flask she had been given at the start of class was now filled with a deep red liquid. Ron and Harry's flask looked like they were filled with something the color of mud and smelled something foul.

"Now, now, boys," Professor Flitwick squeaked. "More action please, try again."

Harry and Ron reluctantly raised their wands, and with all they could pointed their wands at their flask. Their flask had opposite reactions Harry's froze while Ron's exploded.

"Yes I… think you should work on that for homework," Professor Flitwick said, once he came out from under the table. He pulled his hat off and pulled the glass shards out of his hat. "Remember you need practice."

"Hermione I thought that you had class?"

"Normally I do but not today." Hermione said. "I have a free period. It's a nice day to have one."

"You have a lot to be happy about the last couple of days." Harry said.

"Yes I do and so do you." Hermione said. "Sirius was like a second father to you after all."

She climbed through the portrait hole and noticed a small group of seventh years around one of the chairs. It wasn't until she saw a familiar face through the group of people.

"Katie, you are back! How are you feeling?" Hermione asked.

"I am doing really well," she said. "I was sent home from St. Mungos on Monday, I spent some time at home with my Mum and Dad before the felt it was okay for me to come back to school today. Leanne just told me about what McLaggen did during the last match."

"Yeah, it was painful but I don't have to worry about him now that you are back." Harry said. "We will have a decent chance at beating Ravenclaw. Listen Katie—"

Hermione left Harry and Ron with Katie for a bit so she could put her book away in her door and get the books for her next few classes. She double checked her back and made sure she had the books she needed before leaving. When she got back down to the common room Harry was asking Katie about the necklace that made her sick.

"—been asking me, but I haven't got a single clue."Katie said. "The last thing I can remember is walking into the ladies' room in Three Broomsticks."

"So you were definitely in the bathroom, then?" Hermione asked her.

"Well, I'm not really sure but I do know I pushed the door open," Katie said. "I guess whoever imperiused me was hiding behind it from then on I don't remember a thing until about two weeks ago." Katie added. "I'd love to stay and talk but I have class and I don't want McGonagall to give me lines my first day back."

Katie smiled at them, grabbed her bag loaded down with books and hurried after her friends. Hermione, Harry and Ron sat down at a table to ponder what Katie had said.

"It had to be a woman that gave Katie the necklace," Hermione said. "A man couldn't get into the ladies room otherwise."

"It could have been someone that looked like a girl," Harry said. **"Don't forget, there was a cauldron full of Polyjuice Potion at Hogwarts. We know some of it got stolen…"**

Hermione could tell Harry was picturing Crabbe and Goyle dress up as girls. Hermione couldn't blame him the thought was quiet funny.

"I think that I'll take another swig of Felix and have a go at the Room of Requirement again." Harry said.

"I hate to say it but that would be a rather stupid idea Harry." Hermione said. "Luck can only get you so far and wasting it on a room that someone might not even be in is wasteful and the situation with Slughorn was different. Luck will never ever be enough for you to get through a powerful enchantment that is the Room of Requirement besides you will need all the luck you can get if Dumbledore takes you along…"

"But we could make more couldn't we?" Ron asked Harry. "Who knows what we could do if we had a stock of it… hey look it up in the book."

Harry pulled his copy of Advanced Potion-Making out and flipped through it. Hermione already knew that they wouldn't be able to make it fast enough.

"Blimey, it's complicated—" Harry said trailing off.

"That sucks," Ron said rolling his eyes.

Hermione rolled her eyes behind the book she was reading but she knew Ron wasn't the only one disappointed about the time it took to brew that particular potion. Hermione however wasn't. She didn't want to be the type of person that relied on a potion just to have a good day because she felt like she wouldn't appreciate the true good days for what they were to her.

The news of Katie Bell's return to Hogwarts spread like wild fire. Most students seemed happy that she was back except for Dean Thomas because he would no longer be needed to fill her spot on the team. Harry told her that he seemed to take the news well enough but was a bit upset that he would no longer be allowed to play in the next match.

Hermione personally could not blame him.

"It's really hard for me not to say I told you so," Hermione told Harry later on that day.

She had heard the rumors about what happen between him and Draco in that boys' restroom. Hermione was disappointed that Harry had used an untested spell like that. Yes the prince had some great and useful tips but you can't trust everything you read in a book.

"Hermione just leave it." Ron snapped.

Harry looked sullen as he had just finished telling herself, Ron and Ginny about what happened not that he needed to Moaning Myrtle had done that job for him after she had left the boys bathroom. She had apparently made it her mission to pop up in every bathroom in the castle that she could and retold the story of bathroom fight. Harry had also been vilified by several Slytherins –led by Pansy Parkinson who had visited him in the hospital and reported by Professor Snape to the other staff members.

He had been moping ever since Professor McGonagall pulled him out of the common room and lectured him for just over fifteen minutes and much to his disappointment she had agreed wholeheartedly with Snape's punishment of having detention every Saturday until the term ended.

"I told you there was something off with the Prince," Hermione said. "And clearly I was right, wasn't I?"

"Actually I don't really think you were," Harry said. "You don't know that he created it."

Hermione knew that she didn't need to lecture him but she couldn't help it. She did feel a little bit guilty when she saw the look on the Gryffindor team's faces after he told them that he would not be allowed to play in the match on Saturday.

"Harry, how can you stick up for a spell that could have very well killed Malfoy if Snape hadn't been there?"

"Will you stop harping on me about that dam book?" Harry snapped. "The prince could have copied it from some other book for all we know and it is not like he was telling anyone to use it. Besides that spell could have been used against him and he was look to create a spell to block it."

"You are actually defending a book?" Hermione said. "A book that nearly got you expelled from school."

"I'm not defending the book," Harry said. "I wish I hadn't used it but I can't change things. You know that I wouldn't have used a spell like that if I knew what it did."

"So you are telling me that you would risk getting into trouble again to go back and get that stupid book?"

"Yes I do plan on going to get the book back and not for the little spells written in the margins." Harry said. "I wouldn't have done so well in potions without that book or won the Felix Felicis, or know how to save Ron dying from poison."

"You got a reputation from that book that you don't deserve."

"Oh come on and give it a rest already Hermione!" Ginny snapped. "I don't agree with Harry using the spell he used but by the sounds of things Malfoy was going to use an Unforgivable Curse, you should be glad that Harry had something he could use up his sleeve."

"Of course I'm happy harry hadn't been cursed, but he was still wrong and he needs to know that." Hermione said. "Look at where he's landed himself Ginny, detention every Saturday until the term is done. He can't play in the match—"

"Don't go there Hermione you will only make a fool of yourself if you try to act like you understand Quidditch." Ginny said.

The two girls –who usually got along well- now sat with their arms cross glaring at the other. Ron and Harry looked on at them nervously, Harry being who he was snatched a book and used it like a shield.

Hermione however didn't know what to do. She hadn't had an argument like this with a girl since before she came to Hogwarts. Hermione didn't speak for the rest of the night.

The next day was not easy for Harry, he was taunted by the Slytherins, and the anger from his fellow Gryffindors', most of which were unhappy that he had gotten himself banned from playing in the final match.

Saturday morning had Harry in a sullen mood as everyone else in the school –including Hermione—headed down to the Quidditch pitch for the game. Hermione didn't really feel like watching the match but she wanted to support Ron and Ginny and Katie Bell now that she was back in school. The stands were alight with cheers as they waited for the teams to walk out on to the field. Hermione pushed her way through the crowed looking for a familiar face since she had been late getting there. She found Lavender and some of her friends at the top of the stands. Luna and Neville sat nearby Hermione said hello to Lavender before she sat down with Luna and Neville.

The game passed by faster than Hermione thought it would but hours had past. The Gryffindors' passed up the great hall and headed for the common room where they would celebrate their win and wait for their captain to arrive.

About an hour after they entered the common room the portrait hole opened and Harry walked in. A roar of cheers erupted when everyone else spotted Harry coming in. Several people rushed forward and pulled Harry further into the common room.

Ron was next to him holding the silver cup up,

"We won!" Ron said. "We won!" he repeated. "By three hundred and forty points. We won!"

Hermione laughed as Ron continued to repeat that they won over and over again. She couldn't blame him; he always had trouble with his confidence. Before Hermione knew it Ginny was running past her and straight for Harry and threw her arms around his neck. Harry shocked them all by leaning down and kissing Ginny square on the lips in front of them all.

After what seemed like a year –figuratively that is—Harry and Ginny pulled apart. The common room had gone so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, then after a few seconds later several people wolf-whistled followed by several nervous giggles.

Harry looked over the top of Ginny's head, he was searching the room, and Hermione knew that it was Ron. Hermione looked around the room for Ron and found him on the other side still clutching the silver Cup, his face showed an expression similar to that of the troll from first year after being clubbed in the head.

Ron and Harry locked eyes for a moment; it ended it with Ron shrugging his shoulders. The part continued one but Harry and Ginny disappeared through the portrait hole. Hermione smiled and left the party to go and write a letter to Cedric.


	24. Chapter 24

The news that Harry Potter was dating Ginny Weasley was of great interest to a number of people, most of them were girls that had nothing better to do than to gossip about the two teens. It seemed like it was all the girls talked about but Hermione figured that it was good thing that it was something good they were talking about and not something bad.

"You would think after a couple of days they would have something else to talk about." Ginny said. "Three dementors attacks in the last week and all anyone can ask me is if Harry has a tattoo on his chest."

Ron and Hermione burst out laughing at the statement. Harry rolled his eyes and ignored them.

"Did you tell them anything?" Harry asked.

"I told Romilda Vane that you had a Hungarian Horntail," Ginny said. "But that was after she asked me if you had a hippogriff. I thought the horntail was much more macho."

"Thanks." Harry said. "Did you say anything else?"

"I told her Ron got a Pygmy Puff after drinking one too many firewiskeys."

Ron pouted.

"You should watch it," he said. "Just because I have given my permission does not mean I can't or won't withdraw it."

"I don't need your permission." Ginny snapped. "I don't need it to do anything and it's beside the fact that you never said a think when I was with Michael and Dean."

"Of course I would," Ron said. "Just don't start going around snogging each other where ever you can."

"You bloody hypocrite, you and Lavender, have snogged each other all over this blasted castle."

But Harry and Ginny wouldn't get to push Ron any further as the days moved into June as their time spent together became less and less as Ginny's O.W.L.s grew closer and she spent more time studying hours on end.

It had been one evening like this that Hermione walked up to Harry sitting by a window, he was supposed to be finishing up his Herbology homework but was more likely day dreaming about the hour he had spent with Ginny at lunch time. Ron was sitting next to him procrastinating like usual. Hermione dropped into the empty seat between the two of them.

"I want to talk to you," She said.

"Okay what about?" Harry asked.

Hermione could see the questions running through his brain. She whipped her sweaty hands on her pants. She took a deep breath before speaking. She knew he was suspicion because she had snapped at him for distracting Ginny when she should be studying.

"It's about the so called Prince."

"Oh my Merlin would you just drop it already."

Hermione knew he had yet to return to the Room of Requirement to get the book back. With the loss of the book Harry's grades in potions went down. Slughorn had joked about him being distracted by love in the last lesson. Harry hadn't agreed with the comment that had been made.

"I am not going to drop it," Hermione said. "You need to hear me out. I've been looking into them and looking to see who would make it a hobby of inventing dark spells."

"Who said he made a hobby of i—"

"Who said it was a he?" Hermione asked.

"We have been through this Hermione only a boy can be a prince."

"Right but Prince could be a name!" Hermione snapped as she slapped an old piece of news paper on to his open book. "Look at that picture."

Harry reluctantly picked up the picture; it had been yellowed with age. Ron leaned over the picture too. The picture was of a rather skinny girl around fifteen years old. Hermione knew that below the photograph was the caption: **Eileen Prince, Captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team.**

"What does this have to do with it?" Harry asked.

"Her last name was Prince, Harry, Prince." Hermione replied.

Harry looked at Hermione and raised his eyebrow before it finally hit him with what she was trying to say. He cracked up laughing.

"There's no way." Harry said. "There is no way she could be the Half-blood—"

"Why not?" Hermione asked. "It's either a nickname or a made-up title someone gave themselves; it could be their actual name and listen her dad was a wizard with the surname 'Prince' and her mother was a muggle there for she would be half a prince, the half-blood prince."

"Very ingenious of you Hermione."

"She could be the Half-blood prince." Hermione said.

"Hermione, I can tell it's not a girl, trust me it has to be a guy."

"I've looked into Eileen and if it's because you don't really think she's clever enough, then you don't know me." Hermione said. "She was captain of the Gobstones Team not president of the Potions club."

"I've hung around you for five years. I think I know when a girl is clever." Harry said. "It's the handwriting; I've never seen anyone other than a bloke write this way. I doubt this girl had anything to do with it. Where'd you get this?"

"From the library," Hermione said. "And that's where I'll be proving that Eileen Prince had something to do with that book."

"Have fun," Harry said.

"I will, and I think I'll find her in the potions awards." Hermione said. "And I'll prove you wrong about her having anything to do with the book."

Hermione stood up turned on her heel and walked away from him. She was ticked off that he thought a girl couldn't be the Half-Blood Prince and girls don't always have nice hand writing. Her own mother's hand writing was hard to read unless she took her time writing.

When she got to the library Hermione went directly for the potions awards records. She spent the next hour looking through them.

Hours after getting back from the library Hermione was sitting with Ron, Lavender and Ginny by the common room fire. The sky beyond the widows had faded to a ruby red color. It didn't take long for her mind to drift off. It was a pretty sight.

Ron and Ginny had gotten into an argument about Quidditch techniques when Ron said something that set her off and she went to the bathroom. She had been gone ten minutes when Harry came rushing into the coming room.

"Harry are you feeling okay?" Hermione asked. "What did Dumbledore want you for?"

"I am okay," Harry said as he raced past them. He disappeared up the staircase to the boys dorms.

"I wonder what that was about." Ron said.

Before Hermione or Lavender could answer him Harry came skidding back into the common room. He came to a stop in front of them.

"Listen I don't have much time," Harry said as he panted, "Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my cloak…"

Harry proceed to give them a run down on what was going on, and where he was going. He did not stop to allow Hermione or Ron to ask him questions. They had tried several times to get him to calm down and answer questions but he didn't.

"…so that means Dumbledore will not be here tonight. That will give Malfoy another chance to have a go at whatever he is planning to do. Will you two listen to me already?" Harry hissed at them as Hermione and Ron moved to ask a question. "I know that it was Malfoy in the Room of Requirement celebrating like he won the cup, Take this—" he pushed the Marauder's Map into Hermione's hand. "You have got to watch Malfoy and Snape, and use anybody from the DA that wants to help as long as you trust them. Use those Galleons from last year too. Dumbledore told me he put extra protection in the school but Snape will know what that is and take it down if he needs too –but he will not be expecting any of the students to be on watch."

"Harry," Hermione said. "Are—"

"Hermione I don't have the time to stop and argue," Harry said cutting her off. "You will need this as well." He dropped a pair of old socks into Ron's hands.

"Uh… thanks but I don't really need socks." Ron said.

"It not the socks you need but what is hiding inside them." Harry said. "It is the Felix Felicis, share it between all of you and Ginny too. Tell her good bye for me. I have to go, don't want to leave Dumbledore waiting too long."

"No, you should take it." Hermione said as Ron unwrapped the tiny bottle, "We don't need it, you should take it. Who knows if you are even going to make it back?" Hermione said.

"I'll be fine, I'll be with Dumbledore," Harry said. "I need to know you'll be okay. Don't look at me like that, I'll see you later."

Before she knew it Harry was out of the door.


	25. Chapter 25

An hour later Hermione sat with Lavender, Ron and Ginny by the portrait hole in case they needed to make a break for it. They had been checking the map every fifteen minutes to keep track of Malfoy and Snape.

"I'm checking the map," Ron said.

Hermione handed the Marauder's Map over to Ron.

"Snape is on here but Malfoy isn't." Ron said. "I think he is in the Room of Requirement."

"Take Lavender, Ginny and Neville to watch over both ends of the hallway." Hermione said. "I'll go and get Luna and keep an eye on Snape office."

"Wait Hermione the Felix Felicis," Ginny said.

Hermione conjured four small cups and pour an equal amount in to each. She handed one to Ron, Lavender and Ginny and kept one for herself. With a whisper of good luck from everyone they tossed the cups back and Hermione cleared the cups away. They exited through the portrait hole seconds later.

Hermione pulled lavender aside.

"You protect them both and they'll protect you." Hermione said.

"I will." Lavender said.

"They are like family to me. So if you allow them to get hurt I'll hurt you."

Lavender nodded.

"Come on we have to go before he gets a chance to move." Ron said.

Hermione ran as fast as she could to Ravenclaw tower. She didn't have to wait for Luna to come out or even use the coin. Luna Lovegood was waiting for her.

"I thought you might need me."

"Come on we need to go and watch Snape's office."

There was no one else in the area when Hermione and Luna got there. They hid behind a pillar; it kept them out of sight but allowed them to see the door to Snape's office open or closed.

"Thanks for helping Luna."

"I couldn't not help," Luna said. "My school and friends might be attacked."

Their conversation drifted off after that. They took turns watching the door their wands out and ready to fire if they needed to. They both stood up when they heard someone running down the hallway. When they got close enough they saw that it was Professor Flitwick sprinting into the dungeons.

"Death Eaters in the Castle," He yelled as he busted into Snape's office. "Severus you have to come and help the school is under attack. You have to help!"

_**CRASH!**_

Snape came out of his office after that. Hermione and Luna backed up against the wall. But Snape knew that they were there anyway.

"You girls need to get in my office and watch over Professor Flitwick he's collapsed." Snape said. "I have other business to attend to."

Hermione was panicking. She had no idea how Snape knew she and Luna were there but they listened anyway and walked into his office and spotted the unconscious Professor immediately. Hermione rushed over and checked his pulse to make sure he was alive.

"Is he okay?" Luna asked.

"He fine," Hermione said. "Keep watch on the door and I'll keep an eye on him."

Luna nodded and faced the door. Hermione was surprised that she had yet to hear one comment about some no existent creature from Luna but they were in danger so she probably didn't think now would be the time to lecture Hermione on a creature she didn't know about. After twenty minutes they switched places.

"I'm going to check outside." Hermione said. "If I don't come back in five minutes try waking Professor Flitwick up."

Luna nodded and left the room. The dungeon hallway was just as vacant as it had been when Hermione and Luna entered it hours ago. She could hear fighting sounds coming from the floors above her. She walked to the end of the hall that led to the great hall. The fighting was louder this time. Hermione ran back to Snape's office.

She arrived just as Professor Flitwick was dusting off his robes. Luna grabbed his wan from the floor and handed it to him. Flitwick thanked Luna and Hermione before he ran out the door to help those that were already battling with the death eaters.

Hermione and Luna looked at each other before they bolted out of the door and up the staircase to see if they could help at all. Luna went one way and Hermione went another. She knew that it would have been a better idea to work together but there were just too many people in need of help so they had to separate.

Hermione ducked as she was nearly his with a stunning curse. She shot one back at the death eater in front of her. He ducked away from it and started firing curses and hexes and unforgivable toward her. She shielded herself as best she could.

She was distracted for a moment by a dark shadow behind her. Hermione immediately backed away and pointed her wand directly at them.

"Don't touch me." She said.

"I'm here to help Hermione."

"Dam it Cedric you scared me." Hermione said. "When did you get here?"

"I got here about an hour ago." Cedric said. "I have been looking for you ever since."

"What about my dad is he here?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know he might be. Tonks and Lupin are here but I'm not sure who else is." Cedric said. "I haven't seen anyone other than those to except maybe Ginny or Ron or some Weasley. I just saw a flash of red and they were gone."

"I'm glad you are okay, but I want to see if Ron and them are okay and Luna was with me but she went off in another direction." Hermione said. "I just hope they are okay."

"Luna was with Neville the last I saw her." Cedric said. "If you want to find them we'll have to head out into that." Cedric added pointing up the staircase.

"We have no other choice. We should be there anyway." Hermione said. "Can't let our friends fight by themselves."

"I didn't say we would." Cedric said before they both ran to fight.


	26. Chapter 26

"Come on Hermione," Cedric said. "Everyone is up in the hospital wing. Ginny's gone to see if she can find Harry."

"I too tired to move." Hermione said.

"I will carry you if I have too." Cedric threatened.

"I can walk on my own." Hermione said.

"I know that but you just said that you were too tired to move so I translate that into being too tired to walk which is a movement."

"Don't be so sarcastic." Hermione said pushing herself up from the floor.

Cedric grabbed her hand and helped pull her up. She had been sitting on the floor since the battle had stopped about ten minutes ago. The made it to the staircase and headed up to the hospital wing. Flitch was already trying to clean up the mess.

"Why does the hospital wing have to feel so far away?" Hermione asked.

"Um… because it's like three o'clock in the morning and you would normally be asleep by now." Cedric said.

"Nobody got killed did they?" Hermione asked.

"No." Cedric said. "They got hurt but will live, don't worry madam Pomfrey is sure to kept the well enough to be moved to St. Mungo's if they need to be."

"Wait who was hurt?" Hermione asked.

"It was Bill Weasley but he'll be fine." Cedric said.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, I saw him when they moved him to the hospital wing. A bit of a mess but he'll be alright." Cedric said.

"I wonder if Bill will be a werewolf like Professor Lupin," Hermione said. "Greyback wasn't transformed at the time he attacked, so who knows what the aftereffects will be."

"Hey there's Ron." Hermione said as they reached the hospital wing doors. "Ron!"

"Thank Merlin you two are okay. Mum and Dad are on their way. Lupin, Tonks and Bill are in the wing already. Neville is passed out but he's okay. Pomfrey said he need to rest. I think we would have been goners if Harry hadn't given us the Felix potion before he left." Ron said.

"Can we go in?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah I was just waiting for Ginny to show up with Harry. She went looking for him." Ron said.

He pushed the doors open and allowed them to walk in. Neville was lying in a bed next to the door. Luna, Tonks and Lupin were surrounding a bed at the other end of the ward. They walked toward that end of the ward. Tonks jumped up and asked them if they were okay.

"We are fine." Hermione said. "Is Sirius here?"

"No but he's on his way." Tonks said. "Got into a battle of his own on the way here. He should be here soon and you should get those cuts checked out."

"I don't need to I'm fine." Hermione said. "And Bill is the one that needs the attention right now, not me."

"It won't take that long anyway." Madam Pomfrey said. "I'm finished with all I can do for now."

Hermione was led to a privet bed where Madam Pomfrey checked her over and gave her the all clear. She cleaned the cuts and healed them before she allowed Hermione to join the others. Madam Pomfrey then dragged Cedric over to the same bed and ran the same test on him. He was also fine.

"Can't believe you guys had all the fun without me." Sirius said when he walked into the hospital wing ten minutes later.

"It's not like we could freeze everything and wait for you to arrive Sirius." Remus said. "Besides it wasn't all that fun and in case you didn't realize everyone but Bill came out all right."

"Sorry." He mumbled. "But you know me. Where are Molly and Arthur?"

"They are on their way. Tonks contacted them as soon as she found out Bill had been hurt." Remus told him. "Hermione and Cedric just got here before you and they are both okay. Neville got knocked out but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be okay."

"Everyone else checked out fine except for Harry but that's because Ginny just went to find him. They should be here soon." Hermione told him. "At least that's what I have been told."

Sirius walked over to her and hugged her while he scowled at Cedric.

"Sirius." She said in a warning tone.

"Sorry, it's in my blood to do that."

"He protects me just as much as you do." Hermione said. "You have nothing to worry about. Besides I have you as a dad and several other friends that could help me get revenge not that I would need it."

"Yeah I think that we all learned that last year." Ron said. "Cho's friend still bared the scars."

"They were not scars it was like paint that had faded." Hermione said. "Scars imply that she experience pain and she experienced nothing of the short unless it was emotional."

"Was there an anti-jinx for that?"

"Yes I did." Hermione said. "I would have given it to her if she said sorry.

Just then the doors of the hospital wing opened, Harry and Ginny walked in. Harry glanced at Neville as they passed and walked over to the group that had gathered around Bill's bed. Harry looked like he had been to hell and back. Professor Lupin moved toward him but Hermione beat him to it. She ran over to him and hugged him.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Lupin asked him.

"I'm okay, how is Bill?"

No one answered giving Harry the answer anyway. He looked behind Hermione and saw the unrecognizable face that was now Bill Weasley. He was so badly slashed that he would never look the same. Madam Pomfrey was tending to Bill's wounds again.

"Is there anything you can do or use to fix them?" Harry asked her.

"I am sorry to say that no charm will work on these wounds," Madam Pomfrey replied. "And I have tried everything I know, but nothing worked. There is no cure for werewolf bites, I'm afraid."

"Why not he wasn't bitten during the full moon," Ron said. "And Grey back wasn't in his werewolf form, Bill can't be a real werewolf can he?"

Ron had turned to Lupin the look on his face pleading for an answer that could help his brother.

"I don't think Bill will be a true werewolf like me but that does not mean there won't be any aftereffects." Remus said. "His wounds are cursed wounds and are likely never to fully heal. Not to mention he might have some wolfish tendencies later on."

"Dumbledore could know something that might work?" Ron said.

"Where is he anyway, Bill fought on his orders, the man owes him, he can't just leave him—"

"Dumbledore is dead," Ginny snapped.

"No!" Several people shouted together.

Lupin and Sirius were looking between Ginny and Harry. Hermione knew they were hoping that Ginny was wrong but she knew from the look on Harry's face that it wouldn't be happening. Lupin collapsed into a chair near Bills bed from the shock of the news he just heard. Harry looked away from Lupin and caught Ron's eye. Again the silence confirmed the news.

"How did he die?" Tonks asked. "How could that happen?"

"It was Snape that killed him," Harry said. "I was there and I saw it happened. We landed in the Astronomy tower because the mark had been set above it, I think he knew it was a trap because he immobilized me after we hears footsteps on the stairs." He added. "I was under my cloak so I couldn't be seen but after that Malfoy came bursting though the door. He disarmed Dumbledore."

Harry paused to let everyone get their reactions out. Several of the girls had started to cry.

"It didn't take long for more Death Eaters and Snape to arrive."

"Quiet." Hermione said after Madam Pomfrey burst into tears.

"Everybody quiet down and listen." Ginny said.

Taking a deep break Madam Pomfrey calmed her sobs; her eyes went wide when she heard the soft sound. Everyone was awed at the sound they heard, a phoenix singing in a way that none of them heard before. It was a song of sadness and beauty at the same time.

No one knew how long they all stood there and listened to the Phoenix's song, nor did they know why the song seemed to ease the pain of their mourning. Hermione walked over to Sirus and hugged him; it was all she could think of doing. Cedric stood by them but understood why Hermione was hugging her father.

Not long later Professor McGonagall entered the hospital wing. She like everyone else bore marks from the recent battle, her emerald robes were ripped and shredded. Luna stood up from her chair and allowed the professor to sit down.

"Arthur and Molly are coming." She said.

That statement seemed to break the spell the music had over them. Everyone adjusted themselves as if they were pulled from a deep sleep. Nearly everyone turned to look at Bill, or rubbed the tears out of their eyes.

"Harry, what happened? Hagrid's told me you were with Dumbledore when he—well when it happened. He also told me that you said Professor Snape had someth—"

"**Snape killed Dumbledore," said Harry.**

McGonagall stared at Harry like he had just grown three heads, she stared to sway and Madam Pomfrey moved forward and conjured a chair for McGonagall to sit in.

"Snape, but Dumbledore trusted him." McGonagall said. "Oh my I can't believe it. He's really gone."

"Snape was well accomplished Occlumens," Lupin said. "It's why Dumbledore wanted him to help Harry last year."

"How could he kill Dumbledore like that?" asked Tonks. "Dumbledore always swore that he was on our side."

"Albus always hinted that he had reason for trusting Snape so much." Professor McGonagall said as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I knew Severus had history and of course people were bound to wonder but Albus said that Snape was absolutely genuine in what he felt. He would never hear a word against him."

"I think we would all like to know what Snape said to convince him." Tonks replied.

"Snape gave Voldemort the information that ended with my parents dying." Harry said. "After their deaths had been discovered Snape had told Dumbledore that he did not know what he was doing and that he was really sorry he had done it. That he was sorry they were dead."

Hermione wanted to walk over and hug him but didn't as Ginny was already comforting him.

"How could Dumbledore believe that? Snape hated James with a fiery passion." Lupin said. "I have a hard time believing that Snape would be sorry about that."

"And I think thought that my mother wasn't worth anything either." Harry said. "He called her 'Mudblood'."

No one stopped to ask how Harry knew that. It didn't matter right now.

"Oh this my fault, all my fault," Professor McGonagall said. "I told Filius to go and find Snape tonight, I actually thought that he would help us. If Snape hadn't known what was going one, he would have never joined the Death Eaters tonight and Dumbledore could still be alive."

Professor McGonagall started to cry harder into her already wet handkerchief.

"It wasn't your fault, Minerva," Lupin told her. "You did what you thought was right and asked Filius would get Snape so he could help us. We all thought that Snape was on our side."

"So he joined the Death Eaters' right away?" Harry asked the group.

"Well I don't really know what happened," Professor McGonagall said. "Dumbledore told the teachers that he would be leaving the school for a while and that we were to patrol the corridors in case something happened… it was shortly after he left that Remus, Bill, and Nymphadora joined us. All the passageways in and out were covered and they couldn't fly in because of the enchantments. I have no idea how they all got in."

Hermione had been wondering the same thing. Every conceivable place that the Death Eaters could get in at was covered by a teacher or order member. There was no way that they could get into the castle.

"I know how they got in." Harry said. "There was a broken vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement and another working one in Borgin and Burkes. Draco Malfoy has spent all year fixing the broken one and once he had the cabinet fixed." Harry paused for a moment. "With the two cabinets now working they created a path way allowing the Death Eaters access into the castle."

There were gasp of shock as everyone listed to what Harry had said. Hermione knew that nobody in the room could believe it but deep down they all knew it was true A student (no matter how ruthless) had a hand in the head masters death.

"I really messed up, Harry." Ron said after a few quiet minutes.

"He came out maybe an hour later," Ginny said. "He was holding a severed hand. I looked gross I thought I was going to be sick."

"It was his hand of Glory." Ron explained. "Only the holder gets the light it provides."

"Anyway, he had to be keeping an eye out for someone watching because the moment we were spotted he through something in the air and we couldn't see anymore."

"Fred and Georges Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder," Cedric said. "I saw it in their shop the last time I was in to see them."

"We tried every spell known to man that created some kind of light and nothing worked." Ginny said. "We had to grope the walls to get out of the corridor. While we were doing that we could hear people running past us we couldn't use any defensive spells in case we would hit someone else."

"The light was gone by the time we got to the end of the corridor." Ron said. "It bloody sucked."

"Anyway, they just about ran into us when they came out of that corridor and told us what happened." Lupin said. "We found the Death Eaters minutes after that going toward the Astronomy Tower."

"Malfoy obviously didn't expect more than a few people to be on watch, he had run out of that Darkness powder and we could all see again." Tonks said. "A fight broke out almost immediately, they scattered like cockroaches and we gave chase. The one called Gibbon broke away and ran for the tower stairs."

"Did he go to set off the mark?" Harry asked.

"He must have," Lupin said. "But I don't think that Gibbon liked waiting up there all alone for Dumbledore because he came back running down the stairs and was hit by a killing curse that was meant for me."

"Where were you Hermione if you weren't with Ron, Ginny and Neville?" Harry asked turning toward her.

"I was with Luna outside Snape's office," Hermione said. "We had been waiting around for ages but nothing happened. We had no idea what was going on up stairs and Ron had the map. It had to be close to midnight when Professor Flitwick came running into the dungeons yelling about Death Eaters attacking the castle. He didn't even realize that Luna and I were there at all, he barged his way into Snape's office. We heard them talking followed a few minutes later by a crash. Snape came running out of the room and then spotted us." Hermione ended in a whisper.

Sirius hugged Hermione again.

"Oh it was so stupid." She added. "He told us that Professor Flitwick had collapsed and that we had to go and watch over him while he went to help but we know he did he went and joined the Death Eaters. We were so stupid to just let him go."

"Hermione it was your fault." Harry said.

"He's right Hermione," Sirius said. "I may hate Snape but he was a teacher and you Hermione respect teachers even if you don't agree with them well not last year but that was different."

"It's a good thing you listened to him Hermione, You and Luna might not be here right now if you hadn't." Remus said. "Who knows what he would have done to you two."

"So he made his way up stairs," Harry said. "And found you all fighting…"

"Oh we were in bad need of help, we were losing the battle." Tonks said. "Gibbon was the only Death Eater that had fallen but the rest of them were all primed and ready to fight even if it was to the death. Neville was already hurt and Bill had been savaged by Greyback... Not to mention it was dark and curses were flying all over the place—"

"What happened next?" Harry asked.

"Malfoy and some of the Death Eaters slipped past us and up the stairs and Neville tried following them but one of them blocked the stairs." Tonks said. "Neville was thrown back when he ran into it and that's when he passed out."

"We couldn't get through it no matter how hard we tried and the big Death Eater kept on sending curses off nearly hitting us." Ron said. "If you hadn't given us that Feilix Harry we would have been goners."

"And Snape was there one second and gone in the next."

"I saw him running toward us," Ginny said. "But I lost track of him after a ducked to avoid getting hit by a curse."

"He ran for that barrier and was about to shoot right through it without any problems." Lupin said. "I got thrown back just like Neville did when I tried to follow him."

"He must have known something about the barrier that we didn't." McGonagall said. "But then again he knew a lot of things we didn't know. I just assumed that he was in a hurry to catch the Death Eaters that had escapes up into the tower."

"He was doing what you thought but it was to help them." Harry said.

"You probably have to have a dark mark to get through it." Cedric said. "What from what all of you have been saying –because I wasn't there to see it all— it was only the Death Eaters that were able to get through the barrier."

"Okay what happened when he came back down?" Harry asked. "I haven't figured that out yet."

"Well the big Death Eater that Ron was talking about just fired a curse that had half of the ceiling falling in but it also broke the curse that was blocking the stairs so it worked out for us." Lupin said. "Those of us that were able to ran forward but stopped when Snape and Malfoy appeared."

"And we just let them go right on pass us like they were doing nothing wrong." Tonks said. "Everything was quiet for a while but then the other Death Eaters and Greyback and shown up again and the fight started up."

"And a few of us thought that Snape said something as he ran away but couldn't tell what it was."

"He said it was over," Harry replied. "and that he had done what he had meant to do."

The group fell silent as Fawkes's lament continued to echo across the dark castle grounds. As the music continued several thoughts entered Hermione's mind. Like where was Dumbledore's body? Did he hand Harry get the Horcrux and if they did where was it now?

Hermione didn't get to voice any of her questions as the hospital wing doors burst open, causing nearly everyone to jump. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were rushing up the ward with Fleur following behind them. They all looked terrified.  
"Oh Molly, Arthur I am so sorry." Professor McGonagall said.

"Bill," Mrs. Weasley cried as she saw her oldest son's mangled face. "Oh, Bill."

Lupin, Tonks, Sirius, Hermione and Cedric backed up away from the bed to allow Mr. and Mrs. Weasley access to their son's bed. Fleur followed. Mrs. Weasley walked up the closest and kissed Bill's forehead lightly.

"You said he was attacked by Greyback?" Mr. Weasley asked. "What does that mean for Bill since he wasn't in wolf form at the time?"

"We don't know," McGonagall replied as she looked toward Lupin.

"We won't know until that time comes but there will be some contamination," Lupin replied. "The situation is one that I have never seen before we just have to wait to see what happens."

Mrs. Weasley took that moment to take over for Madam Pomfrey and began treating Bill's wounds.

"Is it true about Dumbledore, Minerva?" Mr. Weasley asked.

Professor McGonagall just cried as she nodded her head. Ginny moved closer to Harry and stared at Fleur who had a frozen look on her face as she stared at the scars on Bill's own face.

Mr. Weasley showed his shock for Dumbledore's death, his wife however was focused on treating their injured son, her tears falling on to his face.

Sirius took that moment to make sure that Hermione was truly okay.

"She has scratches on her." Sirius said to Cedric.

"They happened before I arrived to help." Cedric replied.

"And what do you mean by that?" Fleur snapped causing everyone to look at them.

Hermione felt like she wanted to look away but couldn't. It was like that time her mum passed by a car accident when she was little and she couldn't look away.

"He _was_ going to be married? You think that he wouldn't want to marry me anymore? Did you think that the bites would cause him not to love me anymore?"

"That's not what I said," Mrs. Weasley replied.

"He will," Fleur yelled. "It would take more than a few werewolf bites to stop Bill from loving me."

"Well I know he would love you?" Mrs. Weasley said. "But I thought because of—"

"You thought that I wouldn't wish to marry him? Or maybe you hoped?" Fleur continued. "Why would I care what he looks like? I look good-enough for the both of us and his scars will just show how brave he is." She walked in front of Mrs. Weasley and stopped she snatched the ointment from Mrs. Weasley and started treating Bills wounds herself.

Mrs. Weasley fell backward into Mr. Weasley and watched as Fleur continued to treat Bill's wounds. Nobody dared to move as they waited for Mrs. Weasley to snap because of her dislike of the woman her son chose to marry.

"Our Great-Auntie Muriel," Mrs. Weasley said. "Has a tiara that would look lovely in your hair—if I can persuade her to let you use it for the wedding."

Everyone let their breath they held out.

"I'm sure it'll be lovely." Fleur said.

And then, almost like a movie magic moment Hermione saw the two women hug and start crying all over again. Hermione looked away from them because it was a privet moment. Ron was gaping like a fish while Ginny and Harry both looked equally shocked.

"You see that, she still wants to marry him and he's been bitten." Tonks snapped. "She doesn't care, I don't care."

Hermione grabbed Cedric's arm in shock as Tonks let off steam. Clearly no one knew what Tonks was dealing with.

"It's completely different situation," Lupin said. "Bill won't be a full werewolf, our cases are completely different."

"I told you I don't care!" Tonks snapped as she grabbed the front of Lupin's robes. "I have told you a million times…"

It was that moment that had everyone who had seen Tonks's new Patronus and her mousey colored hair realized what it meant. It was clear to everyone that Tonks had fallen in love with Lupin.

"And I have told you a million times that I am too old for you," Lupin replied. "That I am too poor and too dangerous for…"

"And I have told you that you how ridiculous the line you are taking is." Mrs. Weasley said.

"There is nothing ridiculous about what I said." Lupin replied. "Tonks deserves someone young and whole."

"Yes she does but she wants you," Mr. Weasley replied. "Someone that's young and whole doesn't always remain that way."

He gestured to his son lying on the bed.

"I don't want to discuss it," Lupin replied. "Dumbledore is dead and…"

"Dumbledore would have been happy knowing that was a little more love in the world." Professor McGonagall said. "Especially know that we are in war."

Just then the hospital wing doors opened again to reveal Hagrid. His whole body was shaking with sobs his large handkerchief clutched in his hand.

"I've done it," he said. "He's been moved. Professor Sprout's got all the kids back in bed. Professor Flitwick is awake but lying down right now. He says he doing okay and Professor Slughorn said the Ministry has been informed."

"Thank you, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall said. "I shall have the Ministry see me when they arrive and Hagrid please have the heads of house join me as well, Slughorn can represent Slytherin. I would also like you to join us."

Professor McGonagall departed from the hospital wing shortly after that with Harry in tow. Hermione left the hospital wing about an hour after that with Cedric, Ron and Ginny. Lavender had returned earlier to give the news of Dumbledore's death to the other students. They sat around the common room fire for a while but tired they all climbed up the stairs to bed. Hermione passed up her dorm and joined Ginny in hers.

"I can't believe Dumbledore is gone,"

"I don't think that any of us can believe that he is gone." Hermione replied. "I wonder what the ministry said and who knows what it means for the school."

"They won't close it will they?"

"Who knows?" Hermione said. "Death Eaters were able to get in. They have to protect the students first and if that means closing it they just might."

"I could see why. After tonight I don't see Hogwarts as the safest place anymore and mostly it's because Dumbledore is gone." Ginny said. "Where's Cedric?"

"Sleeping in Ron and Harry's dorm or on the couch I don't know." Hermione said. "He made me come up to bed before I fell asleep."

"He's a worrier."

"Yep," Hermione replied.

"Where did your dad go?"

"He, Lupin and Tonks got rooms down at Three Broomsticks." Hermione said. "He said that he would come see me in the morning and that I better not be sharing a room with Cedric, like I could do that here."

"There are spells against that kind of thing otherwise Lavender would be in Ron's bed." Ginny said. "Not that I would want to think about that."

"Okay I say it is bed time." Hermione said.

Ginny started laughing at her.


	27. Chapter 27

_**HOGWARTS HEADMASTER ALBUS DUMBLEDORE IS DEAD!**_

Was the headline in the morning paper, there were no details about his death other than it had occurred on the grounds of the school where an apparent battle had occurred. Hermione could barely stomach the article and had nearly choked on her pumpkin juice when she spotted the headline, but what got her the most was the cartoon that someone had drawn.

Before she had even gotten to sleep the news that their beloved headmaster had died spread across the school like wild fire. All off their lessons or exams had been put off to a later date or cancelled. More than half the student's had been pulled out of school by their extremely worried parents over the next couple of days. The Patil twins were two of the first couple of student's to leave. Ginny's ex Zacharias Smith was escorted from the castle by his father. Seamus Finnigan had refused to leave the castle and ended up having a rather heated argument with his mother in the middle of the Entrance Hall.

His mother relented and was able stay at the Three Broom Sticks by sharing a room with Tonks. Seamus later told them about all the witches and wizards that had come to pay their last respects to Dumbledore.

There were scores of foreign wizards from all over the world that had showed up to say good bye to Dumbledore. One was a woman Hermione hadn't seen since her fourth year of school. She was happy to see the giant olive-skinned woman throw herself into Hagrid's waiting arms; it was good to see him have someone at a time like this. Hermione glanced over at Harry who had kept to hiding in the common room and his dorm while Ministry officials roamed about the castle. He was mostly avoiding the minister because of what the man had asked him for at Christmas time. Hermione helped Harry in his avoidance whenever she wasn't with Sirius or Cedric because she knew Harry was tired of giving his account of what happened the night Dumbledore died over and over again.

Hermione, Harry and Ron and their significant others had taken to spending quite a bit of time together. The nicer weather was mocking them since neither of them wanted to go outside. They all often found themselves wondering what would be happening if Dumbledore hadn't died but then again that was one everyone's mind whether they were a student or not.

Everyone but Bill Weasley had been discharged from the hospital wing but he was still under Madam Pomfrey's care. Mrs. Weasley spent most of her time there with him. His scars were still pretty bad and Bill looked closer to Mad-Eye Moody than he did his family it was only his fire read hair that told them who he belonged to but he still had both his eyes and all the rest of his limbs. Other than his new scars and his affinity for rare steaks Bill Weasley was the same as ever.

Cedric left Hogwarts early the day before Dumbledore's funeral. He left so he could tell his boss that he couldn't be working for him anymore but had loved working for him and to get his diploma from the school he had been attending. Hermione had kissed him goodbye before watching her dad take a walk around the grounds as a free man for the first time in a long time, Lupin and Tonks had gone to join him. Hermione let them be and spent her time in the common room with her closest friends. Hermione had the Evening Prophet in her lap and was reading it.

"Did anyone we know die?" Ron asked like he had ever time he saw Hermione with a copy of the paper.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the casualness in Ron's tone but she had grown use to it over the past couple of days.

"No one we know," She replied. "But they are still looking for Snape but have seen no sign of him."

"Of course they haven't found him," Harry said. "They won't find him until they find Voldemort and they've had all this time to do that and they haven't."

"Well it's late and I'm going to bed." Ginny said. "I could really use a good night of sleep."

Ginny quickly kissed harry good night (Ron hid himself behind a section of Hermione's paper), waved goodbye and run up the girls dorm stairs. The moment Ginny's hair disappeared up the stairs Hermione leaned forward to speak with Harry.

"I think I found something else in the library this morning,"

"Was it R.A.B?" Harry asked sitting up straighter.

"I'm sorry but no," She said. "I have tired but, there isn't anything to be found. There were a few wizards with those initials but none of them seem to be a fit to become a Death Eater. But anyway it's not about R.A.B it's about Snape."

"What about him?" Harry asked glumly.

"Well, I think I was kind of right about the Half-Blood Prince thing," she replied.

"Do you have to rub that in?" Harry said. "You know how I feel about all that now."

"Oh no I didn't mean that Harry, It's just that I was right about Eileen Prince being the owner of the book," Hermione paused. "She was Snape's mother."

"I thought that she was kind of horrible looking," said rolled her eyes and ignored him.

"I went through the old Prophets looking for R.A.B when I found a small announcement that Eileen had married to a man named Tobias Snape. There was another announcement later on that she had given birth to a baby boy." Hermione said. "That baby boy was named Severus. Tobias was a muggle so Snape would have been proud to be 'half a prince'."

"Yeah I guess that fits," said Harry. "It's obvious that he had played up the pure-blood side so he could get in with Malfoy and his cronies, he was just like Voldemort, pure-blood mother and muggle father and ashamed of that. He tried to make himself feared by the new name and his love of the dark arts. I don't see how Dumbledore could have—"

Harry cut himself off as he looked out the window; he still found it hard to believe Dumbledore trusted Snape so much, but as Hermione just pointed out to him, he had been taken in by the same man, despite the increasing nastiness of the spells scribbled in the margins of the book.

"You know I still don't get why he didn't turn you in for using the book, when he knew you had it," Ron said. "He had to know where you were getting it from."

"He knew the moment that I used Sectumsempra on Malfoy. Didn't even need to use Legilimency… heck he might have know when Slughorn started bragging about my potions skills, but he shouldn't have left the book at the bottom of the cupboard then."

"Why not turn you in?"

"It's kind of obvious; he didn't want to be connected to the book." Hermione said. "I don't think Dumbledore would have like Snape being connected to something like that. Slughorn would have recognized the handwriting as Snape's if he made a fuss about it."

"I should have taken the dang book to Dumbledore." Harry said. "All that time and he was showing me things about Voldemort being evil and I had proof that Snape was evil too."

"That's a strong word." Hermione said.

"You're the one who told me the book was dangerous over and over again." Harry snapped.

Hermione rose early the next day to make sure she had everything packed. Including a few books she hadn't come to school with but suspected would be a great help to Harry later on. She was one of two girls left in her dorm; the others had been dragged home by their parents. Hermione would be leaving on the Hogwarts Express like everyone else; Cedric would be going with her because he didn't want to be away from her and Sirius said that he had better protect her with his life.

The great hall was quieter that normal when she arrived. The chair that had been Dumbledore's remained empty as was Hagrid's. Snape's chair however was not empty like many expected it to be; instead it was filled by Rufus Scrimgeour. None of the Weasley's gave sign that they saw Percy other than being a little aggressive with their food.

Her thoughts about the past few days were stopped with a gentle nudge from Cedric. Professor McGonagall rose slowly to her feet. The quiet whispers that had filled the hall had died down.

"Time is getting closer." She said. "Please follow your Head of House down into the grounds. Gryffindors will follow me."

Professor McGonagall led them toward a section of the lake that had hundreds of chairs sitting in neat rows with an aisle running down between them. A marble table sat in front of the chairs. There was already a large assortment of people sitting in the chairs. Hermione had no clue who most of them were, the ones she did were members of the Order or Triwizard Tournament or from shops and places in Diagon alley. Their little group filled in the last few seats in a row, people still whispering to each other. Hermione waved at Neville and Luna, the one two of the D.A. to respond to her call the night Dumbledore had passed away but she knew it was because they alone were the two that missed the D.A. the most. They were probably the ones that checked their coins every chance they got and probably still carried them on their person.

The three people that Hermione was most displeased to see were Cornelius Fudge, twirling his famously green bowler hat and Rita Skeeter with her acid green notebook in hand and the one she hated to see most of all Dolores Umbridge with a look of grief that wasn't convincing anyone on her toad like face.

Members of the Hogwarts staff were the last to sit down. Professor McGonagall was seated in the front row with Scrimgeour seated next to her. She wondered if Scrimgeour and any that came with him were truly sorry that Dumbledore was no longer living among them. Her thoughts were cut off by a type of music she hadn't heard before. She found it when she spotted Ginny pointing toward the lake.

"It's the mermaids." Cedric whispered in her ear.

"I can see that." Hermione said.

"It's not normal for them to sing like that." Cedric said.

"I know that. I read all about them in one of my school books." Hermione said. "But I guess Dumbledore meant something to them to."

"He meant a lot of things to a lot of people."

Hermione could see them just below the surface of the sunlit water but not enough to see what they looked like. She was nudged again by Cedric. She looked at what he had taken notice of. It was Hagrid walking slowly up the aisle between the chairs. Hermione started to cry along with him and in his arms was what Hermione knew to be Dumbledore's body. It was wrapped up in a purple velvet fabric decorated with gold and silver stars.

Once was Hagrid was at the front of the aisle he seem to have laid Dumbledore's body down on the marble table. Hermione hadn't been sure that was what he did until he had retreated down the aisle. Harry had tried to wave but Hagrid couldn't see. Hermione turned around in her seat to see where Hagrid was going. She was surprised to see that Hagrid had taken a seat by his half-brother Grawp—who was a full blooded giant. Grawp had been dressed in a jacket and black trousers that looked like small marquees.

A minute or so after Hagrid sat down a little man in plain black robes stood up in front of Dumbledore's body. He had started to speak but Hermione only caught what he was saying every few words. It was sitting there under the hot sun that Hermione came to the conclusion that she was happy that she had her dad and Cedric and all of her friends. She couldn't imagine being in Harry's shoes and only having a god parent and friends to count as his family but that was all over now.

She knew she wouldn't be coming back to school next year if Harry didn't come back. She would leave school and help Harry with his search. She would do all she could to help him bring down Lord Voldemort. She just had yet to tell Cedric or Sirius what she planned on doing but they both probably knew her well enough to know that she was going to do anyway. She sat up a little straighter and whipped her tears away when the little man in black had stopped talking and sat back down in his seat. For a moment she had expected someone else to stand up and talk but they didn't. Not one single person moved from their seat.

Hermione screamed quite loudly when bright white flames had erupted around Dumbledore's body and the marble table he lay upon. The rose higher and higher until the body could no longer be seen. Once the smoke disappeared there was a marble tomb. Inside of the tomb were Dumbledore's body and the table he lay upon. A few more people cried as a shower of arrows shot through the air and landed far short of the crowd. Hermione thought it was perfect tribute to Dumbledore from the centaurs'. The centaurs' quickly turned tail and disappeared into the forest. The merpeople also slowly slid deeper into the water.

It was just like that and Dumbledore's funeral was over. Hermione hugged Cedric closer to her. She peeked out at Ron who was comforting Lavender and Harry who was talking to Ginny and neither of them had a happy look on their face, so she knew that wasn't a good thing. Hermione watched as Harry more miserable than she had ever seen him got up and turned his back toward Ginny and everyone standing behind her.

"Oh great they are not going to leave him alone." Hermione said when she spotted Rufus Scrimgeour limping towards Harry. "He needs time to mourn like the rest of us."

"We all know that but the Minister has just as much tact as his predecessor." Cedric said as he gestured to the man spinning the lime-green bowler hat like he always did.

"I think Scrimgeour has a little more tact than Fudge." Hermione said. "But not much, I wonder what Scrimgeour wants with Harry though?"

"What did he want when he showed up at Christmas?" Cedric asked.

"He wanted Harry to be the poster boy or mascot for the Ministry." Hermione said.

"You would think they could take a hint," Cedric said.

"Just be glad Fudge isn't in office." Hermione said. "He probably find away to blame it all on Dumbledore or Harry."

And with that Hermione, Ron, Lavender and Cedric walked over to Harry. Ginny had gone to join her parents and brothers. Hermione wanted to comfort her but she wanted to know what Scrimgeour wanted from Harry. It took them a while to catch up with Harry but they did under a beech tree that had held much happier times for them than now.

Harry was clinching his fingers around the Horcrux. He was angry and Hermione couldn't blame him, there was no justice for Dumbledore. He was dead and lying in a tomb while his murder got away with killing him.

"What did Scrimgeour want with you?" Hermione asked.

"The same thing he wanted at Christmas," Harry replied. "Wanted inside info on Dumbledore and to be the Ministry's poster boy. I'm not going to be their dam poster boy."

"Can I go back and hit Percy; I'll do it if it makes you feel better." Ron said.

"No," Hermione said as she and lavender grabbed the back of his shirt to keep him from moving.

"I don't care if it will make you or Harry feel better Ronald. A funeral is not a place to hit someone or start a fight."

"I don't like the idea that we might never come back." Hermione said. "Hogwarts can't be closed down."

"Maybe it won't," Ron said. "We don't know for sure and we can't be in anymore danger here than we would be at home. Hogwarts is the same as every other place now but I still say Hogwarts is safer, what do you say, Harry?"

"I won't be coming back even if it does stay open." Harry said.

"I figured you would say that," Hermione said. "If you're not coming back then what do you plan on doing?"

"Well I plan on going back to the Dursleys' one last time like Dumbledore wanted me to," Harry said. "But I won't be there that long."

"Harry I think she meant what you are doing since you won't be in school." Cedric said.

"I thought that I might visit the place where I was born." Harry said. "I feel like I have to do it before everything gets crazy like we all know it will." He paused. "For me that's where it all started. I have a feeling I have to go there, that something is waiting for me and I can visit my parents while I'm there."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Cedric asked.

"More than you know." Harry replied.

"Okay what do you plan on doing after that?" Ron asked.

"Track down the Horcruxs; it's what I have to do." Harry said. "Dumbledore was sure that he wanted me to track them down and if he was right about them I need to in order to take Voldemort down. If Dumbledore and I were right about our conclusions I still have four to look for."

"We're going with you Harry," Ron said.

"Why? You could die?" Harry said.

"You're our friend Harry," Ron said. "In fact you are more than that Harry, your family."

"He's right Harry; you are like a brother to us." Hermione said. "And I don't think Sirius would like it if you went off alone. So Ron and I will be going were ever you are going."

"No..." Harry snapped.

"Harry you've told them and even me before that we could leave whenever we wanted. Turn our backs and not look back and you wouldn't get mad." Cedric said. "Yeah I don't exactly want Hermione going off with you but I know that there would be nothing I can do to stop her."

"He's right; we are with you no matter what happens." Ron said. "And you can go and do whatever you want but you have to come to Mum and Dad's house before you even thing about going to Godric's Hallow."

"Why do I have to go to the burrow?"

"Bill's still getting married," Ron said. "Fleur and Mum haven't stopped talking about it even since the night Dumbledore—"

"I get it." Harry said.

He looked at them all. Hermione knew he was wondering how something so normal as a wedding could still be planned at a time like this. A wedding that was sure to be the last good even in their lives for a long while once the war heated up.

"Yeah, I can't miss that you Mum will have my head." Harry replied flatly.

Hermione noticed his hand clinched around the fake Horcrux again. Hermione slipped her hand into Cedric's hand; he squeezed it in return to comfort her. She saw Lavender and Ron do the same thing.

"We should get going." Hermione said. "The train leaves soon."

The group grabbed their bags and caught a carriage to the train station. They were quiet and appeared somber as they rode toward the train station. Not wanting to deal with the obvious attention seekers a cabin to themselves and pulled the shades down so they couldn't see inside.

Once inside the cabin and sat down the relaxed a little bit more. Even thought it was awkward for them Ginny (as she had rejoined them much to the dismay of her parents) and Harry sat next to each other sitting as far apart from one another as they could. Lavender snuggled up to Ron who starred aimlessly out the window. Hermione rested her head on Cedric's shoulder as he quietly read to himself.

The irony of the peace she felt and the beauty of the sunset she was watching wasn't lost on her. Hermione knew that the peace she felt would not last long. There was a war brewing and she would not sit by and just watch it happen.


End file.
